Unaware of the scholar's inner thoughts outside the window, Zhu Ping'an poured some water into the stone groove, looked at the large characters the master had hung at the front of the classroom, listened to the master's explanation of the essentials of calligraphy, and began to write furiously on his black wooden board.
The master walked around the classroom again and again, correcting every child's mistakes, and once again saw that mischievous child as he passed the door.
In his line of sight, the mischievous child was no longer playing the game of watering stones, but was playing a new game, poking around the stone with a small piece of bamboo.
Out of curiosity, the master assigned the children in the classroom the task of writing three times, and then walked out of the classroom to stand in front of the mischievous child.
The mischievous child seemed caught up in his play and did not notice him approaching.
Chapter 39: Would You Be Willing to Study Under Me?
Elder Master Sun walked up to Zhu Ping'an, curious to see what kind of game this naughty child was playing. When his gaze fell upon the child's hands, time seemed to freeze. The hand with which Elder Scholar Sun was stroking his beard once again instinctively plucked out a few white hairs.
In his line of sight, the so-called naughty child was holding a simple brush made of thin bamboo and animal hair, dipping it in the water within the stone groove, and writing furiously on a black wooden board.
The water used as ink could only linger briefly on the black wooden board, yet it was clear that this naughty child—no, this diligent child—was already writing better than the best-performing child in the classroom.
The brush was of inferior quality, the stool he sat on was an uneven stone, the ink was plain water poured into a groove, and the paper was a piece of black wooden board laid over rough, uneven stone. Yet he wrote with such earnestness, never even wiping away the sweat streaming down his face. Once the wooden board was soaked through, he would write directly upon the wet surface. Though his strokes were tender and unpolished, they were remarkably neat and well-proportioned.
This stood in sharp contrast to the mischievous child he had imagined earlier, delivering a severe visual shock.
This was an unpolished piece of jade bestowed upon him by the heavens, well worthy of carving.
"You naughty child, would you be willing to study under me?" Elder Scholar Sun asked, unable to help himself as he twirled his beard.
Hearing this, Zhu Ping'an, who was writing with intense concentration, was so startled he nearly flung his brush away. The voice was far too familiar; it was unmistakably Master Sun. His shock was not due to Elder Scholar Sun's words—Zhu Ping'an had been praying for precisely this, so how could he be alarmed by it? The true cause of his shock was simply that the voice had broken through his total concentration, a purely reflexive start.
Yet in the eyes of Elder Scholar Sun, this was a manifestation of overwhelming joy.
Of course, Zhu Ping'an did not disappoint Elder Scholar Sun's expectations. After all, he possessed the soul of a mature adult within; after a brief moment of shock, he quickly steadied himself.
Zhu Ping'an stood up from the stone, his chubby face glowing with excitement, only for it to suddenly plunge into utter desolation. Naturally, he was overjoyed to have been discovered skipping class, not only escaping reprimand but actually winning appreciation. Yet the moment he remembered how his family had just descended into total chaos over two strings of cash, the realization struck him: if he were to ask for money to pay for schooling, the household would surely turn completely upside down. Best not to even think about it. Hence, the desolation.
Elder Master Sun found this little chubby boy quite fascinating; his face changed expressions as swiftly as a mask-changing performer.
"What? Are you unwilling?" Master Sun asked, putting on a stern facade.
Zhu Ping'an hurriedly waved his chubby hands, his face a picture of dejection as he replied, "I am willing, Little doesting is willing. It's just that my family is poor, and there is no spare money to support my studies."
At this, Zhu Ping'an's eyes lit up once more. "While herding the ox one day, I overheard Master lecturing in the classroom, and my mind was suddenly enlightened. I also heard Master say that all pursuits are base, only reading is noble, and thus I mustered the courage to sneak here and listen to Master's lectures. Since Master lectures so well, I naturally yearn to study under Master's seat, but given my family's impoverished state, I can only hope Master might permit me to listen from outside."
Not only was this boy diligent, but his speech was clear and orderly. When faced with his own feigned sternness, the child remained calm and composed, unlike the children in the private school who turned pale with fright at the mere sight of him, not knowing where to put their hands.
In Elder Master Sun's eyes, Zhu Ping'an was all the more an uncut piece of jade waiting for him to carve.
Your family is poor? That doesn't matter. When you come to study, I won't charge you a tuition fee; I'm hardly short of that bit of money. Elder Master Sun was nothing like Zhu Ping'an's Eldest Uncle. Master Sun was a certified scholar; although he had failed to pass the provincial imperial examination, he was nevertheless a scholar receiving a monthly stipend from the government. Furthermore, his family owned dozens of acres of fertile land, so he was by no means short of cash. The main reason Elder Master Sun opened a private school was because he had no hope left for the imperial examinations himself, and wished to do his part to cultivate talent for the country, as well as nurture knowledgeable individuals for his own clan and village. If possible, he hoped some disciple might fulfill the aspirations he himself had failed to achieve.
"It is no matter. I shall waive your tuition, and tomorrow I will formally admit you into the school as my student." Elder Scholar Sun smiled, twisting his beard indifferently.
Sneaking into class, winning praise, gaining the chance to study, and having his tuition waived—
This rapid succession of pleasant surprises felt like a pie falling straight out of the sky, giving Zhu Ping'an, who had never known a stroke of good luck since his transmigration, a surreal sense of unreality.
"Thank you, Master." Zhu Ping'an was deeply grateful to Elder Scholar Sun. This was a teacher truly worthy of respect, a gentleman whose virtue was vast enough to carry all things. He bowed low in gratitude, his head nearly touching his chest.
Elder Scholar Sun assumed Zhu Ping'an was so overcome with gratitude that he wanted to drop to his knees and kowtow in thanks. His satisfaction with Zhu Ping'an's character grew even greater—what a genuinely pure and untainted heart the boy had—and he hurriedly reached out to stop him.
"No need for haste. We can wait until tomorrow when you pay your respects to the Sage Confucius," Elder Scholar Sun said, patting Zhu Ping'an on the head. "Let it rest for today. Tomorrow, after the master-student ceremony, you may officially enter the school to study. Go back and tell your father, mother, and elders that Master said your tuition is waived, and you are simply to come and study."
Ancient elementary education was quite ritualistic. Students typically had to first pay homage to the statue of Confucius and perform the master-student ceremony before their formal studies could begin. Moreover, the ceremony usually required selecting an auspicious hour, keeping with traditional customs. Elder Scholar Sun refrained from having Zhu Ping'an perform the ceremony immediately out of these considerations.
"Thank you, Master. I will go back and tell my parents right away." Zhu Ping'an expressed his heartfelt gratitude. Meeting such a teacher was truly his good fortune.
"Be sure to return early and report this to your elders. After entering school tomorrow, you must apply yourself diligently; otherwise, Master's ruler will show no mercy."
Having made his arrangements for Zhu Ping'an, Elder Scholar Sun returned to the classroom to resume his lecture. Having secured a moldable piece of talent, Elder Scholar Sun felt his body grow a few fractions sturdier, and his steps felt much lighter as he walked.
Outside, Zhu Ping'an continued listening to the lecture.
One taught with earnest dedication, the other listened with meticulous care.
Only the black-bellied loli, who had been waiting for a long time outside the bamboo grove to hear the story of The Legend of the Condor Heroes, suffered. Li Shu waited and waited, but Zhu Ping'an never showed. The prideful young miss finally lost her patience, brandishing her riding crop as she marched angrily toward the private school.
She thought to herself that she must teach that impoverished little wretch a proper lesson!
Zhu Ping'an had sensed her approach the moment the black-bellied loli stepped out of the bamboo grove. Having been startled by the master just moments earlier, his entire being remained far more alert, naturally allowing him to detect her arrival. Why was this little female ancestor here? Another look at her puffed-up, pretty face and the small riding crop in her hand left no doubt about what was happening—she had clearly come with ill intent. He could not afford a mishap at this critical juncture; he had to coax and placate this little female ancestor properly.
And so, Zhu Ping'an hurried over, not daring to let the black-bellied loli throw a tantrum here and disrupt the order of the classroom. The master had just agreed to take him in tuition-free; if he were to get into a squabble with the black-bellied loli right here, how terrible would that look? What if the master took a dislike to him and went back on his word? That would be losing far more than he gained.
(The new book still needs everyone's support. I hope you will all lend a hand to add it to your bookshelves and recommend it.)
Chapter 40: Telling the Loli About Condor Heroes Again
Zhu Ping'an tucked his belongings under his arm, grabbed the black-bellied loli's arm with his small hand, and dragged her out of the bamboo grove before she even had a chance to scream and shout. Once they were out of the grove, Zhu Ping'an let out a long breath, but before he could even catch it, he was greeted by the fury of the black-bellied loli.
"Hey! Who told you to drag me?"
"Ow! You bastard!"
"Who told you to grab my hand? Do you think you're Guo Jing or something?"
"Believe it or not, I'll go tell the master right now that you were eavesdropping on the lecture and grabbing my hand!"
The black-bellied loli stamped her feet, screaming and shouting in a fury, glaring at Zhu Ping'an with her big eyes blazing as if breathing fire. Her cheeks were puffed out in anger, making her look quite adorable, much like an enraged little toad.
Hearing this, Zhu Ping'an suddenly smiled.
"Hey, you still have the nerve to laugh! I'm going to tell the master!" The black-bellied loli pulled out her ultimate trump card: making a malicious report.
Unexpectedly, it failed to work this time. After taking several steps, the black-bellied loli realized that the little wretch not only hadn't tried to stop her, but was still standing there smiling like an utter fool.
"You—do you really think I wouldn't dare go tell the master?" The black-bellied loli blinked her big eyes, making a bluffing threat.
"Not afraid at all." Zhu Ping'an nodded.
The black-bellied loli was driven to distraction once again by Zhu Ping'an's shameless, thick-skinned attitude of a rogue who feared neither boiling water nor scorching heat.
"The master just caught me skipping class, but he didn't punish me. He praised my handwriting and told me to come to the classroom for lessons tomorrow, and said he wouldn't charge me any tuition." Zhu Ping'an's chubby face bloomed into a smile as wide as a chrysanthemum, which in the eyes of the black-bellied loli was pure, unadulterated showing off.
Hearing this, the black-bellied loli fell silent for a moment, her face a mask of disappointment and indignation. How could this be? Why didn't the master punish him, but instead let this rotten person go to school?
"Do you still want to hear The Legend of the Condor Heroes?" Zhu Ping'an had his mind on the black-bellied loli's braised pork.
At these words, the black-bellied loli's eyes instantly lit up, though she dismissed it with a careless wave of her small claw and said with haughty disdain, "Oh, it's just so-so. If you're willing to tell it, I suppose I'll listen."
Zhu Ping'an smiled without a word, extending his chubby little hand.
"Glutton!" The black-bellied loli pouted, looking down her nose in utter disdain as she handed the insulated food box she had set aside over to Zhu Ping'an.
Zhu Ping'an's small hands snatched the food box away with lightning speed. He snapped off a thin stalk of bamboo, split it in two to serve as chopsticks, and eagerly popped the food container open.
As the lid lifted, those glistening chunks of braised pork still quivered slightly, ruby-red and radiating an intensely distinctive aroma that went straight to the nostrils. A gentle poke with the chopsticks made them slump downward; the outer layer, resembling tender rind, was actually a thick strip of rich fat. Unable to resist, Zhu Ping'an tremblingly picked up a piece and popped it into his mouth. As he chewed with his chubby cheeks puffed out, a slippery, tender, and succulent texture instantly flooded his mouth, making his tongue and teeth dance on their own accord. Before he knew it, an indescribably marvelous drip of rich oil began to trickle down the corner of his mouth.
The fragrance struck his taste buds directly; he would envy the braised pork far more than any immortal.
Watching Zhu Ping'an's pathetic, good-for-nothing display, the black-bellied loli looked at him with a pretty face full of utter contempt. What an absolute beggar! Seeing Zhu Ping'an close his eyes and endlessly savor the taste with zero self-control, the black-bellied loli lost her patience. Disgusted, she snapped:
"Are you ever going to finish? Hurry up and tell the story!"
Zhu Ping'an's reverie was interrupted by the black-bellied loli. Glancing at her impatient expression, he inwardly mocked himself for acting more and more like a little child the older he grew.
"All right, let's pick up where we left off: bending the bow to shoot the condor." Zhu Ping'an found a patch of grass to sit on, placed the food box on his lap, and began to narrate while he ate.
The black-bellied loli retrieved a cushion from somewhere, placed it on the grass, and sat down comfortably, cracking melon seeds while she listened to Zhu Ping'an tell the tale of Condor Heroes.
Zhu Ping'an narrated with vivid emotion and theatrical flair, keeping primarily to the original masterpiece while weaving in the dramatic adaptations from television series.
The black-bellied loli listened without blinking an eye, paying especially rapt attention to the scene where Huang Rong shed her beggar's disguise to reveal her true female attire to Guo Jing.
"Suddenly, someone behind her gave a light chuckle. Guo Jing turned his head to the sound of splashing water as a single flat-bottomed skiff drifted out from the cluster of trees. At the stern of the boat stood a young woman holding an oar, her long hair draped over her shoulders, dressed entirely in white, with a golden band binding her hair. Reflected against the pristine snow, she shone even more brilliantly. Seeing this maiden dressed like an immortal, Guo Jing could only stare in a daze. The boat drifted slowly closer, revealing that the girl was in the bloom of youth, no more than fifteen or sixteen years old. Her skin surpassed the snow, she was exquisitely beautiful beyond compare, and her countenance was so peerlessly stunning that one scarcely dared look her in the face. Guo Jing felt dazzled, as if blinded by flowers, and dared not look any longer. He averted his gaze and slowly stepped back a few paces.
The maiden rowed the boat to the bank and called out: 'Brother Jing, come aboard!' Guo Jing gave a violent start and turned back to look. He saw the maiden's face wreathed in the smiles of spring, her robes fluttering gently in the breeze. As if lost in a dream or spell, Guo Jing rubbed his eyes with both hands. The maiden laughed and said, 'What? Don't you recognize me anymore?'"
At this point, Zhu Ping'an abruptly cut off the narrative once again, drawing a glare of fiery resentment from the black-bellied loli.
"That's as far as the master lectured. I don't know any more than that. I'll tell you more once I've heard enough in school." Zhu Ping'an spread his hands in a helpless gesture.
Who could have predicted this would completely infuriate the black-bellied loli?
"You're just a liar! The master would never tell a story like this! You swindler! I already asked the master myself, and he doesn't know anything about it! Let me tell you, the master's house is very close to mine!" The black-bellied loli shrieked and hollered at Zhu Ping'an with an inflated, angry face, giving full vent to her spoiled young miss temper.
When Zhu Ping'an had told the story of Condor Heroes yesterday, the black-bellied loli had taken note of it. Upon returning home, she pestered her father to take her to visit Elder Master Sun, seizing the opportunity to sweetly ask Master Sun a question about the story of The Legend of the Condor Heroes. As a result, Master Sun had no inkling whatsoever of any "Legend of the Condor Heroes." Thus, the black-bellied loli realized that Zhu Ping'an was lying to her. However, in order to keep listening to the story, she had chosen not to expose the little swindler, even bringing this braised pork from home today—having long since discovered Zhu Ping'an's inner foodie tendencies.
"Uh..." Zhu Ping'an was left speechless. What on earth did this loli eat growing up to have so many schemes in her head?
The black-bellied loli glared hard at Zhu Ping'an.
"I can tell it to you every day at noon after class, but..." Zhu Ping'an sounded rather like a weird uncle trying to lure a little loli with goldfish as he offered gentle, enticing persuasion.
"But I have to bring you good food!" the black-bellied loli interrupted with a face full of disdain.
"Uh..." Zhu Ping'an was struck dumb.
The black-bellied loli's small mouth turned down in a pout as she muttered an ill-tempered agreement. "Little liar, hmph! If you don't tell the story well, I'm going to tamper with your food!"
Hearing this, Zhu Ping'an's chubby face twitched as he recalled falling victim to this exact trick played by the black-bellied loli in the past.
"You'd better be on time tomorrow, you little liar Zhu Ping'an!" The black-bellied loli glared at Zhu Ping'an and said ungraciously.
Zhu Ping'an nodded.
Chapter 41: The Shocked Zhu Family
The setting sun had yet to dip below the horizon, and its remaining rays had not yet turned golden when Zhu Ping'an was already riding the old yellow ox back home.
The village children were running back and forth playing eagle catches the chick, among them his playmates Heigou and Erniu. Heigou played the eagle, Erniu played the mother hen, and the cluster of children shrieked at the top of their lungs, each looking like a little mud monkey. Seeing Zhu Ping'an riding back on the old yellow ox, the group of kids yelled and hollered, urging Zhu Ping'an to join in and play with them.
"You guys go ahead and play. I have to go home, or I'll get beaten again." Zhu Ping'an declined the group of brats from atop the ox's back.
"Xiaozhi is a coward, hahaha!"
"My mom's broom has broken over me and I don't even blink—Xiaozhi's a coward, hahaha!"
The gang of brats burst into proud, roaring laughter and continued rolling around in the dirt.
Zhu Ping'an looked speechlessly at this group of brats who had no idea where their sense of pride came from. Truly, idiotic children found joy in everything. You're playing eagle catches the chick, why are you rolling around in the dirt like a bunch of fools? And what is the point of flinging dirt at each other? Where on earth do you get a sense of adventurous pride from getting beaten by your parents?
Riding the old yellow ox back home, he found the household free of yesterday's chaotic turbulence, though it was still heavy with the passive-aggressive sparring between sisters-in-law. Their grandfather had forcefully suppressed the matter of the two strings of cash; no matter how much Fourth Aunt, Mother, and Third Aunt harbored resentments, they had no choice but to bite their tongues and back down. In this feudal era, filial piety was a towering mountain that no one dared to defy. Yet even if they couldn't bring up the two strings of cash, they could certainly discuss other matters. Since it wasn't time to cook yet, the sisters-in-law harbored different dreams while sharing the same bed, making sarcastic, passive-aggressive remarks to one another in the courtyard while doing chores.
"Oh, you folks probably didn't know—when I went to send Jun'er off to school today, Master Sun actually said my son has the roots of wisdom! I put my full faith in Master Sun; strict teachers produce outstanding pupils. The stricter Master Sun is with Jun'er's demands, the happier I am..." Eldest Uncle's wife said as she picked vegetables, proudly praising her son, her brows fairly dancing with high spirits.
Whenever the topic turned to Jun'er attending school, Eldest Uncle's wife was always radiant with pride. At this moment, however, Mother Chen looked thoroughly dejected with a trace of bitter resentment.
"Who knows where the money for Jun'er's schooling even came from in the first place!" Mother Chen remarked, her tone heavy with thick jealousy.
Eldest Uncle's wife found her face difficult to keep straight, yet she stubbornly forced herself to put on a front. "You all saw it with your own eyes—the money was sent by my maiden family."
"Sister-in-law, we saw it alright, but I also saw you take two strings of cash from your mother's place," Fourth Aunt chimed in, tossing her head like a young republican mistress as she spoke in a mocking, shrill tone.
The sisters-in-law had been chatting for ages, yet no matter how they went around in circles, they still wound up back on the topic of the two strings of cash. Seeing the atmosphere grow tense and another brawl on the verge of breaking out, Grandmother finally spoke up, letting out a heavy cough. At that, the sisters-in-law once again clamped their mouths shut.
After a brief moment of quiet, Eldest Uncle's wife estimated that it was almost time to start cooking, and so she started showing off again.
"Sister-in-law, going to school is tiring work too, coming early and leaving late. Sometimes I half-regret letting Jun'er go study; it might be better if he just herded oxen like Zhier. Later on, I'll have to make something nice for Jun'er to build up his strength—and of course, for Zhier as well, since herding oxen is tiring work too."
Eldest Uncle's wife cast a gaze that swept over all the women present as if looking down from above. Though her words explicitly claimed regret, anyone could hear the note of smug pride in her voice—it was as clear as day that she was proclaiming: my son is brilliant and destined to top the imperial examinations as Top Scholar, whereas your son is nothing more than an ox-herder.
Mother Chen was already thoroughly disgruntled, and being provoked like this by Eldest Uncle's wife made her temper flare up on the spot.
Hearing this from outside the door, Zhu Ping'an quickly gave the ox a slap on the rump and charged straight into the family courtyard, instantly shattering the tense, fragile atmosphere within the home.
"Mom, hurry up and sew a schoolbag for me; I need to use it tomorrow!" Zhu Ping'an bellowed the moment he stepped through the door.
Zhu Ping'an's words made the just-now haughty Eldest Uncle's wife even more pleased with herself. Bursting into a loud laugh, she looked at Zhu Ping'an riding atop the old yellow ox and laughed openly, her voice quite loud. "Zhi'er, what on earth would an ox-herder need a schoolbag for?"
This was barefaced contempt!
Fourth Aunt laughed as well. Although she had been on Chen's side regarding the two strings of cash, when it came to matters outside of that, they were hardly in the same trench.
Hearing this, Mother Chen's face instantly dropped. What was that supposed to mean? This was clear contempt for her son! Weren't the funds for her husband's studies earned through her own man working himself half to death? Your son gets to study, my eldest son farms the land, my youngest son herds oxen, and you still stand there making snide remarks.