Night of the Broken Gliph

Chapter 188

The length of the Mother River was uncommon knowledge, but to the students present, it shouldnt be difficult as they were the best of their generation in their respective clans,  after all. They should have read a lot from a young age except for disciples from a few clans like the Chor or Wong Clan, which didnt mandate their disciples to study. 

But now, Woo Nim was asking about the precise source of information, which consisted of the exact page and paragraph number. 

This stunned the entire class. The students here were intelligent teens that would top their cohorts without a sweat in any other institution, but now, they could only sit on their chairs and think hard about the answer. 

Just then, a shout came from a teenager whose hair was the striking colour of autumn leaves. Unfair! What kind of question is this?! Youre discriminating against gliphers! 

His hair colour symbolised the Wong Clan; not the Southern Ping Wong Clan, but the mighty Mad Tiger Wong Clan of South Imperial City, which housed the Ferocious Tiger Soldiers and Lam Chuns General Wong! He was the most outstanding cultivator of the Wong Clan, Wong Chow Yip. 

Never have the Cloud Palace decided the class captain with such an irrelevant question even in the past! Wong Chow Yip complained loudly.

All the students ignored him, not only because they knew that this was characteristic of the Wong Clan, but also because they agreed with his words.   

As the best in their respective clans and organisations, every one of them were arrogant teenagers who thought a physical competition was the best way to elect the class captain. The winner would take the position since everyone stood a chance in the competition if they fought hard enough. Contrary to their expectation, most didnt stand a chance with such a question being asked! 

Once again, Woo Nim took a while before she responded. Questions for every cohort are decided by their class mentor, and as your class mentor, I have the final say. Theres nothing I can do about the questions asked by the mentors of other cohorts, Woo Nim replied slowly. 

It was arrogant, but with Woo Nim being so sincere and serious, the students knew that she meant her words, and she wasnt making their lives hard on purpose.  

Wong Chow Yip was shocked by Woo Nims reply. I dont think anyone can answer such a question. Lets change the question, or just fight. Simple. She huffed. 

Kam Chin Kee watched the scene unfold in amusement. Some of his classmates were angry, while some were disdainful. But none exceeded the amusement Chui Yim brought him. After hearing that there was no benefit in becoming the class leader, Chui Yim only had a bored expression as he muttered to himself after Woo Nim asked her question. 

Suddenly, an idea came to Kam Chin Kees mind. He spread out all five fingers of his right hand and showed it to Chui Yim. It caught Chui Yims interest, who responded to Kam Chin Kee with a three sign. Kam Chin Kee smiled and made a two with his hands.  

While the seatmates were busy making gestures with their hands, a figure stood up. The teen moved slowly but steadily like a mountain rising.  

Silence fell when this teen stood up. They knew this teen too well that he only answered questions when he had absolute confidence, for he was one of the most outstanding people of his generation. However, his father, Kwan Mok Man, played a big part in this. 

Kwan Mok Man was a well-known name in the South. He was the most famous official in the South, known for being honest and upright. Seventy years ago, when Kwan Mok Man was still an ordinary lawyer, he fought against a generals son in a murder case for an orphan. Everybody believed hed lose, but Kwan Mok Man managed to win the case, and the generals son was punished with death. This was the incident that made Kwan Mok Man famous.     

Back then, the general was so furious that he wanted Kwan Mok Man dead, but the judge, Chui Yis father, the previous Chui Clan leader, felt that it would be a waste of talent. He secretly saved Kwan Mok Man and sent him to South Imperial City for the imperial examination, which could qualify him to become an official if he passed. 

Kwan Mok Man then passed the examination with flying colours as the top scorer. With that, he was sent to different cities as mayor, where the citizens greatly welcomed him thanks to his upright and righteous character. Not only so, but he was so sharp that the truth of all the cases he handled came to light. Kwan Mok Man even took up some old cases and exposed the actual culprit who got away thanks to their background and status. 

Swiftly promoted through the ranks, Kwan Mok Man was viewed highly by the previous Emperor Lam and became Chui Yis fathers right-hand man.   

Kwan Mok Man remained a legend and was written into a song, Blue Sky Gentleman, often sung by commoners.

TL note: Blue sky also means upright and honest in Chinese, and Kwan means gentleman.

But it was a pity that Kwan Mok Mun wasnt born to be a cultivator. As he got older, he took up the position of Grand Tutor and slowly left politics. The current emperor, Lam Chun and crown prince, Lam Zaa, all had to bow to him as their master. 

Like Kwan Mok Man, the Kwan Clan was less prosperous than most other clans. Only three members were in the Kwan Clan, namely Kwan Mok Mun, his wife, and his son, Kwan Shan Chuen. 

Under the guidance of his father, Kwan Shan Chuens character was identical to his fatherintelligent with great self-discipline. Many in the world compared the Kwan father and son, who had no cultivation talent to the Hoklo Chui Clan, the clan that gained extreme success with their intelligence. 

But it was discovered that both parties were incomparable as the Kwan father and son pair was too unique to be compared. If you used one word to describe them, it would be the word justice. The Kwan Clan valued justice almost obstinately, which was something the Chui Clan didnt, and why the Kwan Clan was capable of much more. 

Currently, Kwan Shan Chuen was looking at Woo Nim seriously. There are many books with records on the Mother River, and the numbers on each book vary. But after much thought, there is only one book that records Mother Rivers total length as seven thousand and thirty-six kilometres. Classic of Mountains and Seas, page fifty-three, chapter two.

The river of the South, the origin of the Souths vitality, spans seven thousand and thirty-six kilometres. The same river is the origin of the Norths tears. They call her the Red River, and many cries for loved ones are commonly heard along the river. 

Am I correct? Kwan Shan Chuen looked at Woo Nim, wanting to check his answer.  

Indeed the Worlds Classic. You are?  

Kwan Shan Chuen.  

Youll be the class captain of this cohort of the Cloud Palace outer sect class leader.  

There are many books about the Mother River; why this one? Kwan Shan Chuen asked. 

What he meant was why did Woo Nim choose Classic of Mountains and Seas to ask the class out of all the books with records on the Mother River? There were tons of books in this world with such records, after all.