The Journey Begins: A Scholar’s Pilgrimage

The young Meng Tian had never known exhaustion like this before.

After crossing the mighty Yi River and climbing the rugged slopes of Cang Mountain, he finally collapsed in relief at the sight of the Lanling boundary stone. The journey had been grueling—his clothes were soaked, his stomach empty, and his throat parched—but the thought of meeting the legendary master he had long admired filled him with exhilaration. Stripping off his damp garments, he wrung them dry and draped them over the tall grass before wrapping himself in a fresh hemp robe. The sight of the golden-green orchids covering the hillsides lifted his spirits, and he began gathering them with boyish enthusiasm.

Lanling, the “Orchid Mountain,” was renowned for two things: its fragrant orchids and its fine wine. The orchids, with their pale yellow blossoms and delicate green leaves, had been cherished for centuries—worn as adornments, used in perfumes, and even burned as incense to ward off insects. The great poet Qu Yuan had immortalized them in Li Sao, writing, “I braid the autumn orchids to wear as adornments.”

Meng Tian, a prodigy well-versed in literature, music, and the arts, was enchanted by the landscape. As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a golden glow over the endless fields of orchids, he forgot his weariness entirely. Woven garlands adorned his head and neck as he danced across the hillside, laughing like a carefree spirit.

The Mysterious Stranger: A Meeting of Minds

Suddenly, a deep, rhythmic chant drifted on the wind.

Meng Tian turned to see an ox-drawn carriage winding its way through the valley. Its occupant, a gaunt man with unkempt hair and piercing eyes, seemed lost in thought. Intrigued, Meng Tian called out:

“Honored elder! What a leisurely journey you take!”

The man, startled, sat up abruptly. “You—you speak to me?”

Meng Tian bowed slightly. “I seek the great academy of Cang Mountain. Might you guide me?”

The stranger eyed him skeptically. “You smell of trade. Are you a merchant?”

Meng Tian laughed. “Must I be a merchant to admire orchids?”

The man remained cold. “Appearances deceive. Many merchants come here seeking profit.”

Meng Tian countered with a quote from Fei Xiang, a recent essay by the philosopher Xunzi. The stranger’s expression shifted.

“You know Xunzi’s work?”

“Doesn’t everyone?” Meng Tian teased.

“Impossible. Fei Xiang is newly written—barely known beyond these hills.”

Meng Tian grinned. “Then you must be Han Fei!”

The man stiffened. “Who are you?”

“Lu Tian, a wandering scholar from Qi.”

Recognition flickered in Han Fei’s eyes. “Ah. A fellow seeker of wisdom.”

A Toast to Fate: Wine and Wisdom

Following Lanling tradition, Han Fei planted the carriage’s canopy in the grass—a symbol of hospitality—and produced a wineskin. Meng Tian eagerly contributed dried beef, and the two shared a drink under the twilight sky.

Yet the conversation soon turned somber. Han Fei lamented the fleeting nature of alliances in an age of ruthless ambition. “Friendships, like orchids, are fragrant but fleeting.”

Meng Tian, ever optimistic, disagreed. “Orchids have many uses beyond their scent!”

Han Fei’s face darkened. “Would you say the same if your homeland fell tomorrow?”

Unsettled, Meng Tian changed the subject. “What must one do to study under Master Xunzi?”

Han Fei stood abruptly. “Go and see for yourself.” With that, he departed as abruptly as he had arrived, leaving Meng Tian bewildered.

The Road to Lanling: A Scholar’s Resolve

The encounter left Meng Tian pensive. He had come to Lanling on a mission—to recruit talents like Han Fei for the future king of Qin, his childhood friend Ying Zheng. Their bond had formed years earlier, during a secret meeting arranged after a royal examination. Ying Zheng, though young, had impressed Meng Tian with his intellect and determination.

Now, after months of travel—including a visit to the reclusive strategist Lu Zhonglian—Meng Tian was more convinced than ever that Xunzi’s teachings held the key to Qin’s future. Lu Zhonglian, once a famed diplomat, had spoken of Xunzi with rare reverence:

“He combines the wisdom of Confucius, the rigor of Legalism, the compassion of Mohism, and the transcendence of Daoism. Yet he critiques them all, forging a philosophy unmatched in our time.”

But why, Meng Tian wondered, did such a brilliant mind serve as a mere county magistrate?

Lu Zhonglian had no answer. “Great scholars rarely thrive in politics. Confucius wandered in exile, Mencius died unfulfilled, Laozi vanished into the west, Zhuangzi retreated to the wilds. Perhaps Xunzi, too, is destined for obscurity.”

The Legacy of Lanling: Wisdom Beyond Time

As Meng Tian pressed onward toward the academy, he reflected on the paradox of genius—how the greatest minds often remain unappreciated in their own era. Xunzi’s ideas would later shape empires, influencing Legalist thought and bureaucratic systems for centuries. Han Fei, his disillusioned student, would become one of China’s most formidable political theorists.

And Meng Tian himself? His journey was just beginning. The orchids of Lanling had led him to a crossroads—between the idealism of youth and the harsh realities of power.

In the end, the true lesson of Lanling was not just in its scholarly debates, but in the unexpected encounters that shape destiny. For as the ancients said:

“Great talent is not found by seeking, but by serendipity.”