their hands tightly tied at their back. Those helpless faces always made him laugh madly as if he was insane.
In the search for greater fun, he but spotted a familiar face. It was a stern one – as stern as it had been. He
was Qin’s best mate, Li Si. There was a strong sense of vicissitude in Li. He seemed to age by 50 years, though
it was just 20 years’ time. As seen, he didn’t give up on Confucianism. Even in this hard time, in which
Confucianism was strongly suppressed, and many other scholars perverted to survive, he was the only one to
keep his faith. He stood firmly with his will; even if no one was there to stand by him, he was not afraid. This
was what Qin had always appreciated back when they were in academy. Qin was glad that he didn’t change – no,
not a bit in such a riot. Li noticed the gaze, and stared straight at Qin. Under his eyes, there seemed a flash of
sorrow – but it was gone immediately, like a flash. The two of them both gave a gratifying smile; neither of
them loathes the other, nor do they see each other as enemy. Though they were indeed in the opposite camps,
they were standing side by side.
Qin was pretty much moved, but he did not tend to take back his order. On one hand, he treasured his
friendship with Li very much; but on the other, it had nothing to do with the burying of scholars. Li looked at
him, affirmatively and solidly. Although the knowledgeable Ying seemed to vanish, and for replacement it came
the fatuous Qin, but he knew – somewhere inside Qin – hid the innocent Ying. Peacefully and quietly, he was
sunk in sleep. Li was in no way angry at Qin. He loved him – as a friend – as always. But that didn’t make him
compromise on the rooms for Confucianism. Friendship was friendship, but for aspiration – that was another
thing.
Qin couldn’t move his sight away. He stared until Li was completely buried under the soil. Weirdly, he
didn’t feel amused; but it was not a beam of sadness, either. He thought a lot while Li was being buried. Those
old memories flashed through his mind. He remembered hiking through the country with Li in a long holiday.
Two of them, climbed up countless steep slopes and walked down numerous slippery paths. It was such a
dangerous journey that he would never forget in his lifetime. Li always muttered, “He that travels far knows
much.” It was Li’s motto, which drove the two to set sail. They spent months to travel from mountains to
mountains, and from hills to hills. Not only did their legs grow more muscular, but – more importantly – it was
their knowledge of different plants and wildlife animals that had increased.
“
Build a great wall in the mountains,” Qin told the Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister thought it was for national defense. Well – we all do. But what had not been said was, “So
that I can commemorate my dear friend.”
* * *