'I already remember the Thousand Character Classic anyway… So why should I go through all this pointless hassle?'
Spending time memorizing something he didn't even need made it that much more tedious.
So he decided to change tack.
"…Very well."
"Hm?"
A single, suddenly compliant word slipped from Cheon U-ha's lips.
"Master is right. If I am to see the world correctly, I must know written characters. I will not be lazy in memorizing the Thousand Character Classic."
"Ahem… now you finally understand me."
Go Seok-jeong nodded with reluctance, but suspicion and distrust still lingered in his gaze. The boy before him was no ordinary five-year-old—Go Seok-jeong knew that all too well.
'What trick is this crafty brat trying to pull?'
With that wary look fixed on him, Cheon U-ha put on a self-satisfied smile and spoke with deliberate meaning.
"Therefore, disciple wishes to make a proposal to Master."
"…A proposal?"
"Yes. Master teaches me the Thousand Character Classic so that I may learn characters as soon as possible and see the world rightly, does he not?"
"Th-that's true."
It wasn't as lofty a reason as he'd said, but not strictly false either, so Go Seok-jeong nodded.
"What is it you wish to say?"
"From today I will keep to your wishes and commit myself to memorizing the Thousand Character Classic at speed."
"…Is that so? A commendable resolve."
"Indeed."
Cheon U-ha spoke each syllable with emphasis, locking his gaze on Go Seok-jeong as he continued.
"When I have memorized the Thousand Character Classic in full, allow me to stop wasting time on pointless study."
"What?"
Startled, Go Seok-jeong opened his eyes as if doubting his ears.
"You mean once you finish the Thousand Character Classic you will no longer study?"
"Yes."
Cheon U-ha nodded vigorously. Go Seok-jeong's mouth twitched. The boy thought himself cunning, but in fact this was exactly the outcome Go Seok-jeong wanted. If the child hated study so much that he rushed to memorize everything, results would come faster—and at the very least Go Seok-jeong's quarrels with this lazy brat would be fewer.
"Ahem… a most admirable plan. If you do indeed memorize the Thousand Character Classic completely, continuing to drill it would be pointless."
"That is precisely what I mean."
"Ha! Very well. Then I will test you once every three days. If you recite all the characters without a single mistake, I'll stop my Thousand Character Classic lessons."
"Excellent! You mustn't go back on your word!"
…Ordinarily, one would reply "thank you." Cheon U-ha's reaction felt oddly bold, but Go Seok-jeong paid it little mind. Better to make progress quickly before the child tried to walk back on his promise.
"Ahem—good. Now then, let's begin again. Sit."
"Yes."
Cheon U-ha obeyed and sat at the desk, the corner of his lip curling. He almost blurted out that he wanted to take the exam immediately, but swallowed the urge. A plan is best when it's perfect.
'Just three days to wait!'
…But it had been so long since his previous life's memorization that reality intruded: Cheon U-ha only passed the test on his third attempt.
"Pardon? What did you just say?"
Cheon Myeong-hak—the head of the Yongmyeong Merchant Guild. He was the merchant who built what had been a small shop into one of Xi'an's Five Great Merchant Houses. Once famed for courting the famed beauty Mi-ryeong until he won her hand, Cheon Myeong-hak now stood before Go Seok-jeong with a bemused expression. Opposite him, the scholar Go Seok-jeong—respected in Xi'an—smiled as he addressed the clan head.
"I told you the boy should be taught letters, sir."
"Haha… that's a surprising recommendation. Weren't you saying only a few days ago that U-ha disliked studying?"
"Indeed. He is the most averse to study of any child I have seen. That is a fact."
Go Seok-jeong's stern demeanor gave way to an easy laugh, and Cheon Myeong-hak forced a smile and a nod.
"I understand. But… really—"
"It's because he is a prodigy."
"…Huh?"
Go Seok-jeong's words made Cheon Myeong-hak's eyes widen. The Thousand Character Classic is a basic foundation for literacy, but many in the world never learn even those characters. Having a five-year-old who can recite all one thousand characters is almost unheard of.
"How… how could he have memorized all of it?"
"A child who hates study but has such comprehension and memorization ability is a prodigy. I have never seen a child memorize the Thousand Character Classic in less than a fortnight."
"He—he memorized the entire Thousand Character Classic? Our U-ha?"
Cheon Myeong-hak was stunned; his eyes bulged. Memorizing all one thousand characters at age five was no small feat.
"How did he learn it so quickly?"
"Precisely why I call him a genius. If a child like U-ha found enjoyment in scholarship, imagine what he might achieve."
"Well… I don't know."
"I can guarantee: he would grow into a man capable of great things for this realm. Lord Cheon, I understand you want your son to inherit the guild, but U-ha is destined to become a scholar."
"Ha… this is—"
Cheon Myeong-hak chuckled in disbelief at the news. He had intended to give his son the basics to run the business in the future; to his surprise the boy showed academic talent. If the child truly became a scholar serving the court, that would be an enormous honor—so he beamed at the thought. But a question then crossed his mind; he turned to Go Seok-jeong.
"But… is this truly possible? You said he hates study, didn't you?"
"Hmm… do not worry about that part. He will soon take an interest in it."
"How are you so sure?"
"It is something I've often seen among geniuses of the past. They want to pierce at the truths of the world—how could the Thousand Character Classic not appeal to them?"
"You mean—"
"A child who masters the Thousand Character Classic in two weeks will quickly learn sentence composition. By the time he learns texts like the Mirror of the Heart and the Elementary Learning, he'll begin to take an academic interest. Once he progresses into the Four Books and Three Classics, he will inevitably fall into study."
"Oh! Really?"
"Of course—he absolutely will."
They both smiled confidently: Go Seok-jeong with scholarly assurance, Cheon Myeong-hak with a father's pride. Later, when Cheon U-ha realized his own scheming had led to this result, he would beat his breast in regret—but for now, the water was already spilled.
"Aaah…"
A sigh fell from the lips of a child whose voice carried the weight of a world. It wasn't the shallow sigh of a youngster; it felt heavy, full of bitter resignation.
"…What is this nonsense?"
Leaning his back against the wall, head tilted, the child let out a dry lament. Arms and legs slack, he stared blankly at the air with eyes drained of life, as if on the verge of tears. His face wore a sad, pensive expression—one that might well spill tears.
A few maidservants at the open door watched him with worry.
"Oh, our young master… what shall we do?"
"I don't know… he's just been sitting like that for ages."
"He'll be scolded again tomorrow."
At the sound of their whispered voices, Cheon U-ha's attention snapped back. Irritation flared in his eyes and the maids hurried away as if startled. Then—"Damn it!"
With a sharp motion he hurled the book beside him at the wall. The book hit the floor and fell open; on the cover was written: Analects.
"Blast it! Why on earth must I waste my life memorizing useless things?"
Breathing heavily with anger, Cheon U-ha squeezed his eyes shut and took a deep breath to calm himself. He forced himself to pick up the thrown book; if he surrendered to his temper and slammed it shut, he'd only have to endure Go Seok-jeong's scolding with both hands raised in defeat.
'I've changed a lot, haven't I?'
Five years had passed since he began studying under Go Seok-jeong. Now that he'd memorized the Thousand Character Classic, Go Seok-jeong suggested moving to the next stage of learning—and Cheon U-ha realized he'd been tricked. He raged.
'You said if I memorized the Thousand Character Classic I could stop studying! Is a child's promise worth nothing?'
Despite Cheon U-ha's protest, Go Seok-jeong remained unmoved, delivering his reasoned logic without blinking.
"Your bargain was to stop studying the Thousand Character Classic. Moving on to the next stage does not break that bargain. Furthermore, your father asked me to prepare you so you could inherit the guild. Do you think you now possess the discernment to make decisions for dozens of householders at the helm of a guild? Do you have the worldly judgment required for such a post?"
Thus began the inevitable clash between a scholar who'd spent his life with books and a reincarnated martial genius who'd lived only for combat. The argument was never going to end differently. Trapped by Go Seok-jeong's reasoning, Cheon U-ha had no choice but to endure and continue with academic progress day after day.
"…Even so—Analects at this age?"
Who studies the Four Books and Three Classics at ten years old? It was absurd; he thought he could afford to be lazy at that age. He resolved to confront Go Seok-jeong about it soon.
Then a shouted voice sliced through the air, making his ears prick up.
"You idiots!"
"Why are you so hopeless? Whenever you try to combine footwork with swordplay your posture collapses into mush!"
A booming voice echoed from the raised platform of the training ground. Thirty-odd warriors lowered their heads at the reprimand.
"Remember! Footwork is footwork and swordplay is swordplay! Focus so you don't lean into one at the cost of the other! Understood?"
"Yes!"
"Phew… good. Begin again!"
At the command, the soldiers resumed their footwork and sword routines in careful distance. They all wore strained expressions, sweating heavily as they tried to maintain posture, but one by one they started to lose balance and stagger.
Some distance away, watching the whole scene, Cheon U-ha's face was full of bafflement.
"…What on earth are they doing?"