Gu Lin carried a bamboo basket containing the six ritual gifts required for Zheng Hao’s apprenticeship. As soon as they stepped off the ox cart, they followed the directions they had inquired about and headed toward the Five Willows Academy.
Arriving outside the academy gates, Gu Lin saw many people waiting in line. Looking at the long queue ahead and the ever-growing number of people behind them, Gu Lin quickly pulled Zheng Hao over to join the line.
Raising his head, he saw two young boy attendants receiving students outside the academy gates. They took turns leading groups of people inside, guiding the previous group out after about a quarter of an hour before taking the next batch in.
After about four groups went inside, Gu Lin reached the front of the line. One of the boy attendants, wearing a stern, expressionless face, stood before them and said, “Follow me.”
Thus, a group of twenty people, including Gu Lin and Zheng Hao, followed the boy attendant into the academy and arrived at a spacious and bright main hall. In the very center sat a middle-aged man with a fair complexion and a stern expression. Clad in a dark robe, his posture was as upright as green bamboo, radiating an aura of profound scholarly learning. His identity was self-evident.
Scholar Xu glanced at the ten children who had entered and said, “Begin.”
Gu Lin felt somewhat puzzled until the child at the front of the line stepped forward and began introducing himself: stating his age when he started his preliminary education, how many years he had studied, and how many books he had read. Only then did Gu Lin understand that this was a self-introduction.
Following that, Scholar Xu began his examination. The content of the test was selected from the books the children had already read. He would recite the first half of a sentence, and the child had to complete the second half, progressing step by step, before finally picking a passage from a book and asking the child to recite it from memory.
Gu Lin watched as the examinees went from effortless recitation at the very start to stammering, and finally, completely losing their composure and failing to recall the lines when asked to recite a passage.
Scholar Xu said, “That will do.”
The child’s face immediately turned pale with panic, and his eyes welled up with moisture, as if tears were about to fall.
As though he had not noticed, Scholar Xu instructed the boy attendant nearby, “Take him out to rest.”
The child burst into tears and was led out of the main hall by his elder family member and the attendant.
Soon it was the turn of the next candidate, a five-year-old child who had already begun his preliminary education and had studied the Three Character Classic. Scholar Xu examined him using the same method as the previous candidate. The child was somewhat nervous; his speech was halting and full of stammers, but every answer was correct. Gu Lin thought Scholar Xu would surely accept this child, but to his surprise, Scholar Xu pondered for a moment and said, “Step down.”
Gu Lin’s mouth dropped open slightly. Such a young child could recite an entire passage from memory, yet Scholar Xu was still unsatisfied. What kind of students was this man actually looking to accept?
One child after another followed. The slightly bolder children managed to respond to Scholar Xu’s examination with stammers, while the more timid ones stood before Scholar Xu and burst into tears the moment he spoke. But regardless of the outcome, not a single child successfully remained.
Watching yet another pair of dejected father and son walk out of the main hall, Gu Lin felt a sympathetic pang in his heart. It was not until he heard “Next” that he snapped back to reality, looked around, and realized that he and Zheng Hao were the only ones left in the entire hall.
Noticing that the final pair consisted of a ge’er and a child, Scholar Xu frowned. When juniors entered the academy for examination, how could adult family members be absent?
Unaware that the academy teacher had formed a negative impression of them upon first meeting, Gu Lin led Zheng Hao forward and bowed. “Greetings, Scholar Xu.”
Calling him a teacher before officially enrolling might make the other party uncomfortable, so Gu Lin felt that addressing him as a scholar was the safest and easiest option.
Scholar Xu sized up the child before him and asked, just as he had with the previous children, “Have you ever studied books before?”
Hearing this question, Gu Lin’s heart sank, but he kept a smile on his face.
Zheng Hao replied, “This junior has never studied books before.”
The crease between Scholar Xu’s brows deepened. While he did accept uninitiated children, the boy before him was older and had already missed the ideal age for beginning preliminary education. Without beating around the bush, he said directly to Gu Lin, “Your son has already passed the age for preliminary education. It is best to send him to study at another private school; my place is not suitable for him.”
Seeing this, Gu Lin was just about to open his mouth to say something when Zheng Hao, standing behind him, stepped forward a few steps. “Please grant this junior a chance, Scholar Xu.”
Seeing that the boy had remained taciturn ever since entering, Scholar Xu had assumed he was timid and unaccustomed to strangers like the other children. He had not expected him to be so bold.
Observing that the boy was accompanied to the academy by only a single ge’er relative, Scholar Xu assumed the family must have some unspeakable difficulties. Having come from a humble background in his youth, Scholar Xu knew firsthand how much determination it took for an ordinary family to send a child to study. He sighed softly, “Very well. I will test you. If you pass, I will accept you.”
Gu Lin felt a trace of anxiety. The other party’s test would undoubtedly assess literary knowledge. No matter how clever Zheng Hao was, how could he possibly pass without ever having studied books? If he had known, he should have sent Zheng Hao to learn at another private school for a period of time before coming to Five Willows Academy.
Zheng Hao, however, maintained a calm expression. “Thank you, Teacher.”
Scholar Xu stroked his beard and said, “I will silently read the Three Character Classic twice to myself, and then you will repeat it back to me. If you get it entirely correct, I will take you in.”
Without waiting for a response, Scholar Xu began to silently read through the Three Character Classic. After finishing once, he paused briefly and immediately read through it a second time.
When the two readings were complete, Scholar Xu picked up his teacup, took a couple of sips of tea, and looked at the quiet boy. “You may begin.”
Though a momentary soft spot had prompted him to give the child before him a chance, it did not mean he would lower his standards. His test for the boy might seem simple, but for a child who had never attended school, the likelihood of successfully repeating the Three Character Classic after hearing it recited silently just twice was exceptionally small.
Scholar Xu sighed inwardly. The boy before him showed courage without recklessness, maintaining a poised and generous demeanor. If the child were a few years younger, he would have accepted him. But looking into the boy’s dark, intelligent eyes, Scholar Xu hardened his heart. The students he tutored had to walk the path of the imperial examinations; he could not break the rules for anyone.
Zheng Hao was unaware of Scholar Xu’s thoughts, and even if he had known, he would not have cared. Being young did not mean he was a clueless infant. Whatever he resolved to do, no difficulty could block his pace.
Therefore, when faced with an examination topic involving knowledge completely unfamiliar to him, Zheng Hao felt not the slightest bit of fear or retreat. With clear articulation, he recited word for word what he had just memorized.
Scholar Xu paid little attention at first, but as the boy repeated the passage he had just silently memorized without missing a single character or making a single error, Scholar Xu straightened his posture. His expression grew solemn, and he focused intently on the slightly tanned boy before him, whose gaze shone with intelligence.
When the boy delivered the final sentence without a single mistake, Scholar Xu spoke with a hint of agitation, “Have you truly never studied books before?”
Zheng Hao replied, “Never.”
Scholar Xu continued, “Do you understand the meaning of the passage you just recited?”
“This junior does not know.” Even without understanding, Zheng Hao met Scholar Xu’s gaze directly without a trace of guilt.
Hearing this, Scholar Xu felt no disappointment. The boy had never attended school, yet after hearing him read it silently twice, he was able to recite the entire piece accurately and without error. That alone was already remarkable.
Composing his mind, he reflected that he was not unfamiliar with children possessing extraordinary memories in their youth, though the path of the imperial examinations required more than just a good memory.
Gradually calming down, Scholar Xu said, “Come to class tomorrow.”
After paying the tuition and the six ritual gifts, Gu Lin left the academy with Zheng Hao. Looking at the young boy beside him, he felt a flicker of curiosity as to why the boy’s memory was so exceptional. But reflecting that everyone had their own little secrets and there was no need to probe relentlessly, he asked nothing further and boarded Second Uncle Zhang’s ox cart with Zheng Hao to return home.
The people on the ox cart were extremely surprised to see Gu Lin and Zheng Hao wearing new clothes made of fine cloth. Such fine garments were something they could not afford to wear even during festivals. Eventually, someone who could not hold back their curiosity asked, “Lin-ge’er, what were you and the Zheng boy doing in town this morning?”
Seeing that the person was genuinely curious with no malicious intent, and considering that Zheng Hao’s schooling was already a settled matter with nothing left to hide, Gu Lin answered honestly, “Xiaohao and I went to the academy to pay respects to the teacher.”
At this, everyone on the ox cart, including Second Uncle Zhang in the front, turned around in shock. Someone quickly recovered their wits and asked, “How did it go? Did he pass?”
Gu Lin nodded. “He passed.”
The ge’er who had asked the initial question noticed a detail. “A private school in the county town must cost a pretty penny, right?”
Gu Lin understood human nature well. If he made himself out to be too miserable, people would feel sympathy and pity; conversely, if he appeared too well-off, they would grow envious. A look of slight worry appeared on his face as he smiled with forced resilience. “Xiaohao is still young; I could not let him just keep following me to sell vegetables forever. We had a bit of silver left at home, and gritting our teeth to send him to the academy is just barely enough. I only hope he learns more characters so he can find a stable job in the future.”
Initially, the others on the cart assumed that since Gu Lin could afford to send Zheng Hao to school, he must have plenty of silver. But hearing these words, they immediately dismissed the notion. What good family would send a child to study? That was a bottomless pit where silver was shoveled away by the handful without even hearing an echo. With Gu Lin having no one to rely on, he must have pinned all his hopes on the only male in the household. Who knew how they managed to squeeze this money out; their livelihood afterward would probably be problematic.
Filled with sympathy, a group of people chimed in, “I can see that the Zheng boy is a promising lad; he certainly will not let down your expectations, Lin-ge’er.”
Gu Lin shook his head slightly, fueling the fire further. “I do not dare think about whether he brings distinction or not. As parents, do we not just hope our children will have a better life in the future?”
Upon hearing this, the women and ge’ers all resonated deeply. Did parents not always hope their children would live better lives than they did?
When they finally arrived back at Lower River Village, Gu Lin promptly pulled Zheng Hao away, escaping amidst the sympathy and pity of the group of women and ge’ers.
However, no matter how much playing the victim he did on the ox cart, the news of Zheng Hao going to study in the county town quickly spread throughout the entire Lower River Village.
A group of women and ge’ers gathered together, inquiring about the news from someone who had just returned from the county town: “Is it true that Lin-ge’er is sending the Zheng boy to study in the county town?”
“Truer than true. They went to pay respects to the teacher wearing new clothes today.”
An elderly woman clicked her tongue a few times. “Why is Lin-ge’er so muddle-headed? That academy is a bottomless pit. Sending the Zheng boy to learn a practical craft would be much better than going to an academy.”
Another woman retorted, “Easier said than done. In craft families, with so many sons and nephews of their own, would they teach an outsider? Even if the Zheng boy is accepted as an apprentice, would he not have to slave away serving the master like an ox or a horse for ten or twenty years before they teach him anything real? If it were like that, it would still be fine; look at Zhao Dageng. Year after year, he sends gifts to that Carpenter Wang, working tirelessly without complaint, and to this day he still has not secured a proper master-apprentice title. This morning, who knows what mistake he made to incur the man’s disgust, and he was thrown out all covered in blood.”
A ge’er sighed softly, “The Zheng boy looks sharp and clever. Going to soak up some scholarly air is not a bad thing; who is to say he will not have a future ahead of him.”
Before anyone else could chime in, a sharp and piercing voice cut into the conversation: “What kind of daydreams are you having? Thinking that anyone who goes to study is a literary star descended from heaven. Why do you not take a piss and look at yourselves in the mirror? My son started preliminary education at age six and has studied diligently for ten years, yet he still has to honestly follow behind his teacher for instruction. That Zheng boy did not even start until age ten, lagging behind others by goodness knows how many steps. If he can achieve anything noteworthy, I, Tian Dahua, will walk backward.”
Hearing Tian Dahua speak with such malice and even scold him, the ge’er replied, “Your Zixiang wants to take the imperial examinations, but the Zheng boy might not. Once he knows his characters, he can become a manager or accountant in the county town. Why must you speak so harshly?”
Ever since Tian Dahua fell into the manure pit, rumors about her and Older Brother Wang had circulated widely in the village. Her husband beat her soundly upon finding out, and if she had not given birth to a good son, she would have long since been driven out of her husband’s family. Thus, from yesterday until now, a sense of pent-up grievance and anger had been festering in her heart with nowhere to vent.
With a mean and sour expression on her face, Tian Dahua let out a wild laugh. “A mud-leg is a mud-leg. What kind of sacred place is an academy? People with minds full of the stench of copper coins go there just to taint it. They still want to learn something?”
The ge’er was not quick-witted. After being countered, his lips trembled, leaving him unable to speak.
An elderly woman stepped in at this sight. “Zixiang’s mother, watch your tongue. You should think about Zixiang, too. If yesterday’s incident gets out, Zixiang’s reputation will not look good.”
Hearing the old woman’s words, and recalling the sight of Tian Dahua covered from head to toe in manure, alongside rumors true and false, the women and ge’ers who had long disliked Tian Dahua could not help but smile.
Upon hearing the old woman’s reminder and seeing the mocking expressions of the crowd around her, Tian Dahua’s face instantly twisted. But wary of the fact that the speaker was the village chief’s wife, she dared not hurl direct curses. Swallowing a breath of suppressed fury, she turned around and stormed off.