“In two days, you will accompany me to the Imperial Academy.”
The carriage wheels rumbled along a bumpy path. As they moved, the dust kicked up by the carriage shafts drifted into the interior. Fu Sili pulled the curtain shut, and the light inside the carriage dimmed.
He turned his head to look at Fu Jing, but the light was too faint to see clearly.
Fu Sili struggled to process the meaning of those words. He exclaimed in surprise, “You are punishing me by making me run errands as your book boy?”
Fu Jing smiled. “Of course not. You are going there to study as a Lijian.”
Lijian were students who gained admission to the Imperial Academy through donations of money or grain. When Fu Sili was working as a runner in a restaurant, he had heard people mention that some young master was a Lijian, while others were Yinjian, or even foreign students from Japan.
Although Fu Sili had never received formal schooling, he was not illiterate. Being able to listen, write, read, and calculate was enough for him.
Fu Sili pondered for a moment and stole a glance at Fu Jing, his throat making muffled, unintelligible sounds.
Fu Jing did not give Fu Sili a chance to muddle through. He folded his hands in front of his abdomen and tapped his knuckles lightly against the back of his hand. “Go back today and pack your things.”
Realizing there was no room for negotiation, Fu Sili’s expression changed instantly. “Why? I am not going. You know everything about my affairs, and I have not done anything I should not have. I am not going.”
Fu Jing raised his hand to straighten his cuffs, his tone flat. “You have been busy running around outside. How much money have you saved up to now?”
Fu Sili was surprised. “Are you looking down on me?”
“How much have you saved?”
Fu Sili changed his tune. “Are you attacking me?”
Fu Jing did not pause for a second. “It is often said that a compassionate person should not command troops, and a righteous person should not engage in commerce. You would be better off at the Imperial Academy; you might actually learn something. If you were to throw a brick in the Imperial Academy, the people you hit would be more useful than those you associate with outside.”
“You should be able to find like-minded people there.” Fu Jing smiled slightly. “That is why I am sending you to the Imperial Academy. Perhaps I should give you a chance; if you can convince me, I will let you have your way and not go.”
Fu Sili: “…”
He sneered. “You have said all the right things, so what is left for me to say?”
Fu Jing smiled. “Go back and pack your things these next two days. Once you are at the Imperial Academy, it will not be convenient to come out, so make sure you have everything you need prepared.”
The man sat there, tiny fragments of light flickering in the depths of his eyes, his demeanor gentle, as if he were discussing a trivial matter.
But this was merely a superficial gentleness; in reality, it allowed no room for debate, exactly the same as his attitude when he first brought Fu Sili to Shengjing.
“How did you know I was at the Tianxia Gambling House today? Did your people send you a message?”
“How I know is my business.”
“Your business?” Fu Sili’s expression stiffened, and he slowly chewed on these three words. “Then, what about when I went to the brothel earlier? Do you know about that too?”
“I heard someone mention it.”
Fu Sili went quiet. He thought silently for a moment and explained, “I will not go to gamble. I was just sitting there with Gao Yi to eat. I left as soon as I finished, so you do not have to force me into the Imperial Academy because of this.”
Fu Jing said indifferently, “Gamblers are not born as gamblers.”
Fu Sili’s voice rose sharply. “Believe it or not, I do not care! You were the same when you were angry last time; in the end, it is always my fault!”
Fu Jing furrowed his brows. “We are discussing your gambling. When I took you to the gambling house before, you were vigilant everywhere, so why are you so half-hearted when it comes to Gao Yi?”
Fu Jing was usually busy, his mind filled with official business, but at this moment, an incident he thought he had forgotten surfaced in his mind. Fu Sili had proactively invited Gao Yi into his courtyard the second time they met.
Fu Sili sneered to himself. “Oh, that is not about blaming me; it is because you resent me meddling in your business.”
“Fu Sili, we are talking about going to the Imperial Academy right now.”
“Only you are allowed to talk about me, but I am not allowed to talk about you? Do you think I do not know that when you were angry before, it was because you were annoyed that I meddled in your business? You thought I crossed the line?” Fu Sili said angrily. “Do you dare to say you are not annoyed now? Annoyed by me talking about you?”
“My goodness, what a great Buddha you are. You do not let me say a word about you, yet you stick your hands in deeper than anyone else!”
“Practice what you preach, Big Brother. Since you did not want me to inquire about your affairs before, do not interfere in mine now!”
Fu Jing deepened his tone. “Fu Sili.”
“Stop shouting! Are you the only one who knows how to call someone’s name?”
In the darkness, Fu Sili stared at him unyieldingly. He had intended to hold back, but unexpectedly, the pent-up anger in his heart was spewed out completely. Their gazes remained fixed in the air, one high and one low.
Suddenly, the carriage gave a violent jolt, and both of them swayed.
Fu Jing took a deep breath, shifted his gaze, and pressed his temples. “What is the situation outside? If the road is bad, change to a different one.”
After Fu Sili returned to his courtyard, he realized that Bing Chun had not come back with him. He was about to turn back to look for him when he saw Qiuyuan returning with Bing Chun from outside.
Their movements seemed a bit stiff. At first, he thought they were just exhausted from being outside and told them to go to their rooms to rest. It was not until the evening that he learned Fu Jing had punished Bing Chun with the rod.
Fu Sili’s anger flared up instantly. Late that night, the lights in Yao Zhi Chun Xin had already been extinguished, and Fu Sili went directly to find Fu Jing.
But when he arrived at Fu Jing’s courtyard, he came up empty; Qiuyuan stepped forward to say that Fu Jing had already left again.
Fu Sili calmed down after a while and dug out ten taels from his last remaining twenty to compensate Bing Chun.
It was obvious that Fu Sili and Fu Jing were angry with each other, and neither was willing to concede.
The people at Yao Zhi Chun Xin did not know what had happened, but they keenly sensed the coldness between the two.
The first to notice the signs was Qiuyuan, who immediately asked for an assignment to go out and handle affairs, leaving Li Xia, who was clueless, to wait on Fu Jing.
Poor Li Xia, who was usually cheerful, could only mimic Qiuyuan’s past expressionless face.
However, despite the cold war, the matter of going to the Imperial Academy was settled.
At the third watch on the third day, Fu Sili was woken up by Li Xia from Fu Jing’s courtyard. Bing Chun was unable to accompany him; he slumped his head as he carried Fu Sili’s luggage, looking as if he were on the verge of tears.
Fu Sili, heavy-eyed and half-awake, got into the carriage. A warmer had been placed in the compartment in advance, along with burning incense; soft cushions were spread on the seats, and blankets were set aside.
As soon as he sat down, Fu Sili crossed his arms, leaned against the window, and closed his eyes, not giving the other person in the carriage a single glance. The two sat on opposite sides without exchanging a word.
Fu Jing rubbed his knuckles, inadvertently looking at Fu Sili, who had already fallen asleep.
Perhaps the carriage was too comfortable; even sitting up, Fu Sili slept soundly. By the time he woke up, light was already drilling through the gaps in the carriage window.
Fu Jing’s brow twitched. He opened his eyes and looked at him. “Time to get off.”
Fu Sili sat up slowly, pushed the blanket on his lap aside with an expressionless face, and jumped out of the carriage, passing Fu Jing.
The Fu residence was not far from the Imperial Academy. Given the time, it was at least the hour of the dragon. Having left at the hour of the tiger, it was a bit of an exaggeration to only be getting off the carriage now.
Fu Sili looked up at the sun, exhaled, rubbed his hands together, and peered around at the environment.
In front of him, the Jixian Gate of the Imperial Academy with its single-eaved hip-and-gable roof, gray cylindrical tiles, and heavy brick walls stood solemn and majestic across the way.
He had never had the opportunity to stand here before, nor had he ever thought about going to school. Standing here now, it felt as if he were no longer himself.
Shivering from the cold wind, Fu Sili took a step forward to look around, when a hand suddenly grabbed his arm from behind.
Their eyes did not meet, except for their hands clasped together beneath their sleeves.
“The Imperial Academy has four halls and six houses. After you go in today, you can walk around first. Tomorrow, report to the Zhengyi Hall for your studies. If you need to find me on weekdays, come to the Shuixing Hall or the Library.”
The four halls were where the directors and officials lived, and the six houses were where the students attended classes. The two walked together through the Jixian Gate and the Taixue Gate to the core area of the Academy. Fu Jing gave Fu Sili a general direction and told him where to eat and wash.
“My coursework at Shuixing Hall is about to finish, and I will not stay at the Imperial Academy for too long afterward. During this period, I will watch over you.”
Fu Jing paused after speaking. Seeing that Fu Sili did not say anything, he continued: “There are two places for accommodation at the Imperial Academy: the four zhai behind the Yilun Hall, and the eighteen zhai in the west of the Academy.”
“You and I will live in the main room of the fourth zhai. This is an independent courtyard; you and I will be in the same courtyard.”
Fu Sili walked beside him. Fu Jing suddenly stopped and looked at him with a smile, reminding him, “The fourth zhai is close to the four halls and is strictly supervised by teachers. If you are not back by the required time for the evening rest, you will be punished if you are caught. Also, you may not bring others into your courtyard at will.”
Fu Sili: “…Heh.”
Fu Jing withdrew his gaze and led Fu Sili to the courtyard where they would stay.
It was already late by the time they entered the Imperial Academy today. At this time, other students were in their respective classrooms, and the road was empty and very quiet.
It was not until they arrived at their residence that Fu Sili realized the problem was quite significant.
Both of them lived in the main house; Fu Jing lived on the east side, and Fu Sili on the west. Except for the main entrance, the east and west side rooms were separated by half-length beaded curtains. The wall was a thin door panel, and in the small space separated between the two side rooms, tables and chairs were placed.
He took a deep breath and walked into his west room.
A narrow bed was pushed against the wall, with a desk beside it. On the desk were books, and at the end of the bed lay the blue scholar’s robe that students of the Imperial Academy were required to wear.
The problem was that as long as one side made the slightest move, the person on the other side could hear it. Fu Sili suspected that even if they lay on their own beds and talked as they were now, the other party could hear every word clearly.
Fu Sili thought this would not do. He had no choice but to turn around and find Fu Jing. “I see there is an ear-room outside. I will go live outside.”
Before the word “okay” could leave his lips, Fu Sili braked sharply.
Fu Jing was standing by the bed wearing only white silk trousers, having just taken off his outer garment. The muscles that were usually hidden under his clothes were now fully exposed. The bulging muscles were wrapped in taut skin, arching with an explosive, impactful curve.
Fu Sili’s eyes instinctively focused on Fu Jing’s broad back, gazing at the perfectly sculpted curves. Suddenly, his gaze stopped; as if a piece of beautiful jade had a flaw, there were dozens of knife scars overlapping on the back, instantly weakening the sense of elegance about Fu Jing.
Fu Jing froze in the middle of grabbing his clothes, the veins on the back of his hand climbing up like rooted vines. He cast a sideways glance at the person who had intruded.
Fu Sili’s expression stalled, and he ran out, clatter-clatter.
By the time Fu Jing was dressed in his Imperial Academy uniform, Fu Sili’s figure was no longer to be seen in the courtyard.