Chapter 074: The Archive Keeper

August 22nd was no ordinary day for Xue Rui.

Becoming an official astronomy apprentice meant the end of his training in the Records Room; soon, the apprentices would be assigned to various departments according to their talents.

With separation imminent, everyone arrived earlier than usual, eager to strengthen their bonds before parting ways.

When Xue Rui entered, the others were already deep in discussion about their future placements. Seeing him, Liu Jin asked, “Brother Xue, I plan to join the Calendar Department. Where do you want to go?”

The Calendar Department was the division of the Imperial Observatory responsible for compiling the calendars—commonly referred to as the Five Seasonal Offices: Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter, and the Central Office. It was the most crucial branch, with as many as eighty members at its peak—almost half the entire staff.

Liu Jin’s father was the Chief of the Summer Office. It was only natural that Liu Jin, hoping to follow in his father’s footsteps, would choose the Calendar Department, the most promising path.

Xue Rui was unclear about the rules of assignment and asked curiously, “Isn’t it up to the adults to decide where we go? Can we actually choose for ourselves?”

“You don’t quite understand,” Chen Li explained. “Where you go depends mainly on your strengths, but the masters will also ask for your preferences. Liu Jin is especially talented in mathematics, perfect for calendar compilation. I’m sure the masters will all compete to have him.”

The exam this time had been specifically tailored to test their strengths. Xue Rui hadn’t done well on the mathematics questions; the supervisors likely wouldn’t let him join the Calendar Department.

After some thought, Xue Rui said to the group, “I’d like to go to the Observatory. Is anyone else interested?”

“The Observatory?” Everyone was surprised.

Liu Jin lowered his voice, “The Observatory isn’t a good place. Not only do you have to stay up all night, but in winter the wind up there cuts like a knife—it’s freezing!”

But Xue Rui’s choice wasn’t made on a whim. As a researcher in archaeoastronomy, he had always been fascinated by ancient astronomical instruments. In his previous life, he had visited various museums to study them.

Unfortunately, most of these instruments had been lost or destroyed during times of turmoil. The few surviving examples were rarely accessible, only to be observed from afar.

It had been nearly impossible for him to study the development of ancient astronomy through those surviving instruments.

Now, having traveled back to the Ming Dynasty, Xue Rui had the chance to actually handle the Armillary Sphere, the Simplified Instrument, the Gnomon, and other devices. The opportunity was irresistible.

“I’m just curious, that’s all,” he replied to their persuasion. Still, Xue Rui didn’t insist. As long as he remained at the Imperial Observatory, he’d eventually have the chance to visit the platform—there was no need to rush.

Listening to Liu Jin and the others joke and laugh, Fan Yan and the other apprentices who hadn’t passed the exam looked on with envy.

Still, when they thought of Guo Heng, who had also failed, they felt better.

Guo Heng was solitary by nature, rarely speaking with others, and buried himself in his studies with such diligence that even top students like Liu Jin were ashamed. Yet, for some reason, Guo Heng always performed poorly in exams. This time he’d only achieved a middling grade and would have to repeat the year with Fan Yan and the rest—a truly shocking outcome.

While everyone was still chatting, Chief Supervisor Xu Dun and several other masters entered the Records Room.

“Greetings, esteemed masters,” everyone said, bowing respectfully.

“Rise,” Xu Dun replied, his gaze sweeping the room. “Now we will assign the successful astronomy apprentices to their posts. Return to your seats and wait to be chosen.”

Besides the Five Chiefs, there were also the Chief of the Water Clock Division, Ni Zhong, and the Chief of the Spiritual Platform, Bu Ci.

Since entering the Observatory, Xue Rui had met Ni Zhong several times but had never seen Bu Ci. He couldn’t help but steal a few glances.

He’d heard from Hu Zhong that Bu Ci was from the Western Regions, one of the Sogdian people, recruited during the Yongle reign, and had served for forty-five years.

Bu Ci’s appearance was markedly different from the Han Chinese—more like a foreigner. His skin was pale, his nose high and straight, and his blue eyes especially striking.

Yet Bu Ci spoke Beijing dialect with great fluency; if you closed your eyes, you’d never guess he was a foreigner.

The masters chose apprentices in a set order. Since few had passed the annual exam, each Chief could only pick one. Star students like Liu Jin and Chen Li were, naturally, the first to go.

Once Xu Dun had crossed off their names and handed the roster to Bu Ci, he led Liu Jin and the others away to settle in.

Those who remained were all more or less average—in other words, they had no particular strengths and could be assigned anywhere.

These less remarkable apprentices were usually sent to the Water Clock Division or the Observatory.

“Am I really going to the Observatory?” Xue Rui wondered. He was well aware of his own abilities. If he could go to the Observatory, it would actually suit him perfectly, so he felt no resistance at all.

After a brief exchange between Bu Ci and Ni Zhong, each selected two apprentices and left the Records Room with them.

“Why is everyone leaving?” Only then did Xue Rui start to feel uneasy.

While luck had helped him pass the exam, it couldn’t be that he wasn’t good enough even for the Water Clock Division, which was in charge of timekeeping.

As the successful apprentices were led out one by one, leaving Xue Rui alone, the remaining apprentices began whispering among themselves.

Lu Wen leaned over to Fan Yan and asked, “What’s going on? Didn’t Xue Rui pass the exam too? Why isn’t anyone picking him?”

“Maybe it’s because he joined too recently?” Fan Yan guessed.

“Or maybe it’s because of his father—the masters don’t dare select him,” someone else muttered.

That seemed likely. Fan Yan and the others felt sorry for Xue Rui. It was tragic to finally become an astronomy apprentice only to be held back by his own father’s reputation.

Xue Rui heard their whispered speculations, but he didn’t think that was the reason. The political climate at court was already clear: Wang Zhen’s faction would soon be toppled.

Once the purge began, Xue Yuanhao would be exonerated and released.

Given the current circumstances, Xue Yuanhao was not only innocent but had rendered a service to the country.

The Observatory was short-handed; his father’s reinstatement would be easy. Since Xu Dun had already let him pass the exam, there was no reason to make things difficult for him.

There had to be some other reason.

Just as he was about to seek out his mentor for answers, Xu Dun, who had left, returned.

Taking the opportunity, Xue Rui quickly asked, “Master, where will I be assigned?”

Xu Dun smiled and patted him on the shoulder. “I forgot to mention—you’re not going anywhere. You’ll stay here in the Records Room.”

Stay in the Records Room?

Everyone was stunned. After passing the annual exam, every apprentice was supposed to move on to advanced training. For Xue Rui to be left behind—did that mean his performance in the exam was in question and he was being held back?

This arrangement made Xue Rui’s heart sink. He had worked so hard to pass the exam and was finally about to earn an official post. For something like this to happen now—how would he explain it to his mother?

He felt he had to fight for himself. Even being sent to the Water Clock Division would be better than staying behind.

Otherwise, as an astronomy apprentice stuck among the ordinary apprentices every day, he’d be the laughingstock of the entire Observatory.

“Master, as an astronomy apprentice, I’d be taking up a spot in the Records Room. Why not let me join another division for further training instead?” Xue Rui tried to reason.

Xu Dun paused and replied, “I want you to stay because there’s a task I need you to handle. If you leave, who will take care of everything here?”

“A task, Master?” Xue Rui wondered to himself. Did Xu Dun intend for him to stay behind as an errand boy?