Chaos reigns in all directions, the nation on the brink of ruin.

The people wail in the fields, while demons in robes and crowns occupy the halls of power.

A young scholar, just come of age—where should he go, what should he do?

He rises with his sword to slay ghosts and fiends, sits quietly with his brush to write essays.

With the world in his grasp, he cuts down evil and preserves righteousness—

A single rendition of “Song of Righteousness” stirs the vast heavens with awe.

Chapter One: The Red Carp Weeps, Past and Present Lives

The second day of the second lunar month, the dragon raises its head.

Orioles flit, grass grows long, swallows chirp softly—Ethan Brooks has just come of age.

Ethan Brooks, courtesy name “Daoyuan,” is the third child in his family, thus people call him “Sanlang Brooks.”

Sanlang Brooks entered private school from a young age, gifted and diligent, devouring books and writing with a fine hand. Yet after three attempts at the county-level exam, he failed each time, unable even to qualify for further study, let alone the imperial exams.

Those who know the inside story are aware: every time he enters the exam hall, Sanlang Brooks immediately becomes nervous and trembles uncontrollably, sometimes so much that he can barely hold his brush. With such performance, how could he possibly pass?

This is called “exam fright.”

Because of this hidden ailment, he has seen countless doctors and tried all sorts of folk remedies, but to no avail. On ordinary days he is fine, but once in the exam hall, his legs shake and he falls apart.

The private tutor, Mr. Sullivan, sighed in resignation: “This child has no hope in this life.”

Sanlang Brooks, however, was persistent. Unable to advance in his studies, he still refused to give up, remaining in the private school among a crowd of much younger children, standing out conspicuously.

This became a running joke in Jing County.

But for a scholar like Sanlang Brooks, who could neither carry loads nor wield tools, and who fainted at the sight of blood, there was truly no other path in life but study. Fortunately, his family was well-off and he had no worries about food or clothing.

Today, the spring breeze caressed Jing County, the sun was bright. At dusk, school let out, and Sanlang Brooks walked home with his bookcase on his back.

Jing County was a small town, with only a few streets. From the school to his home was just across one street, a walk of less than fifteen minutes.

“Fresh fish for sale! Live, delicious fish!”

The vendor’s cry rang out.

Sanlang Brooks paused, stopping in front of the fishmonger’s stall.

Two bamboo baskets, round-bellied and narrow-mouthed, coated with oil to prevent leaks. Each held over a dozen fish, swimming restlessly.

“Excuse me, uncle, how much for these fish?”

He asked in a scholarly tone.

The fishmonger recognized Sanlang Brooks and laughed, “For others, it’s twenty coins a fish. For you, Sanlang, just fifteen.”

This was a blatant lie—the normal price was only ten coins per fish.

Sanlang Brooks had hardly ever bought groceries himself and knew nothing of market prices. Thinking he’d gotten a bargain, he cupped his hands in thanks: “Thank you, uncle. I’ll take two.”

“Alright!”

The fishmonger deftly reached into the basket, scooped out two fish, and threaded them through the gills with a thin blade of grass.

These two were the smallest in the basket. One of them had a bright red body, strikingly vivid—a red carp, only two fingers wide and less than three taels in weight.

Sanlang Brooks was unaware of the tricks of dishonest merchants, counted out a string of coins, took the fish, and headed home.

The fish, still alive with the grass through their gills, thrashed their tails desperately, struggling to break free and escape their fate.

Sanlang Brooks lifted the fish to eye level and happened to meet the gaze of the red carp. He noticed something unusual in its eyes—a rare spark of intelligence. In that instant, clear drops of water welled up and trickled from its eyes.

The red carp seemed to be weeping.

The tears fell silently to the ground, moistening it without a sound, yet somehow striking a chord of compassion in his heart.

Sanlang Brooks was momentarily dazed, staring at the struggling fish, overcome by the illusion that this was not a fish, but a pitiful person, pleading for life.

“Better to spare the innocent than to kill by mistake; the virtue of cherishing life is dear to the people’s hearts…”

Suddenly, the sage’s earnest teachings flashed through his mind.

He turned on his heel, abandoning his trip home, and walked to a river in town called the “Jing River.”

The river ran through the city like a green jade belt, gently encircling Jing County’s waist. Both banks were lined with weeping willows. In spring, the willow branches sprouted tender green shoots, a delightful sight.

A stone arch bridge spanned the river from north to south, its large stones covered in green moss, exuding an ancient charm.

The bridge was called “Evening Clarity.”

Arriving beneath Evening Clarity Bridge, Sanlang Brooks gently pulled out the grass from the fish’s gills and released the fish into the water.

Freed from its bonds, the fish darted away at once, vanishing into the depths.

Standing by the river, Sanlang sighed and was about to turn and leave.

Suddenly, a wind rose, stirring the water, and the river’s surface swelled with strange waves.

Sanlang Brooks, peering curiously, saw a flash of brilliant red among the waves—a red carp broke through the water, swimming straight to the shore, stopping just a step away from him.

The red carp suddenly opened its mouth and spat out an object, which landed with a clang at Sanlang’s feet, startling the scholar.

What was going on?

After spitting out the object, the red carp stood upright in the water—how it managed this, he could not tell—its small head nodding repeatedly at Sanlang Brooks, its pectoral fins pressed together and waving, just like a person cupping their hands in salute, lively and childlike.

The sight left the scholar wide-eyed, so shocked he fell to the ground.

How strange!

He had read countless books, but never encountered such a bizarre event.