“Your ancestors only ever reached the seventh-rank official position at most, and even that was revoked. But I am the legitimate eldest son of Changning Marquis Manor! Even if I’m uneducated and idle, I can still inherit the hereditary peerage through ancestral grace! While you…”
He struck Shen Mo’s head repeatedly with a book: “You’re only fit to be my plaything!”
“Didn’t you all say he resembles a chamber pot? Then what are we waiting for? Let’s water him again so he can serve his purpose!”
Thus, those young dandies unbuckled their belts with laughter, taking turns to humiliate Shen Mo.
“What are you doing?” The tutor, hearing the commotion, hurried over to investigate.
Yet Lin Rufeng remained unperturbed: “Shen Mo urinated all over the classroom. Look, Tutor, this is the fine student you’ve taught—completely devoid of propriety and shame.”
The tutor could clearly see they were bullying him, but he was employed here and received his salary from the Lin family.
Naturally, he dared not offend the Lin family’s legitimate son and future Marquis of Changning, so he could only wrong Shen Mo:
“Shen Mo, since you made the mess, clean the classroom before leaving. The rest of you, disperse!”
That day, Shen Mo crouched alone in the classroom, wiping the soiled floor over and over.
His family had spent money and pulled strings to get him into this school—he couldn’t give up halfway no matter what.
Endure it, just endure it a little longer. Once I pass the imperial examination and earn an official rank next year, everything will be fine… everything will be fine.
He had reasoned it all through, so why were tears still falling uncontrollably? Why did it still hurt so much?
Why must social classes exist in this world?
Why are the disparities between people so vast?
Why…
I just want to study properly…
After leaving the school, heavy rain suddenly poured down. He walked numbly through the torrential downpour, hoping the rain would wash away the filth on him.
But that pungent, foul odor lingered at the tip of his nose, refusing to fade.
Passersby hurried past, casting mocking glances that made him feel utterly ashamed.
The rain lashed down, stinging his cheeks—was even heaven bullying him?
A smoke-purple oil-paper umbrella silently appeared overhead, shielding him from the rain and gloom.
A servant’s voice reached his ears: “My young lady offers this umbrella to shelter you from the wind and rain.”
As he accepted the umbrella, a carriage marked with “General Manor” slowly passed by.
Not far ahead, the carriage stopped at a fabric store entrance, and a young lady in a green dress alighted.
As if sensing something, the lady suddenly turned her head, her clear, autumn-like gaze meeting his through the heavy curtain of rain.
Devoid of aristocratic arrogance or prejudice, her calm eyes held a gentle kindness.
That single glance was like a beacon in the mist, casting light into the young man’s dark and despairing heart.
Later, he learned she was the third daughter of Weiyuan General Manor, a renowned talented lady in the capital.
Moreover, he discovered that Lady Liu had been compassionate since childhood, setting up porridge sheds to aid the poor every first and fifteenth day of the lunar month.
Such noble birth, such pure and kind character.
He briefly felt a moment of inferiority, then suddenly thought: “If I can achieve top honors in next year’s Autumn Examination, perhaps…”
What followed “perhaps” were aspirations he didn’t dare entertain.
For such a wonderful woman, he couldn’t allow himself to harbor any profane thoughts.
Yet on the first and fifteenth of each month, when the Third Young Lady opened her porridge shed, he would secretly watch from afar as she distributed food to the needy.
—This world was full of filth, yet she was the one pure lotus blooming within it!
From that day onward, he devoted himself even more earnestly to his studies.
Perhaps one day, he could bridge the divide between their stations, gather his courage, and stand before her…
But his diligence only drew more scornful attention from the likes of Lin Rufeng—a good-for-nothing who dozed off at the mere sound of lectures.
Thus, they intensified their bullying of Shen Mo.
They tore his cherished books and defaced the essays he had painstakingly written.
Being beaten became a regular occurrence.
Lin Rufeng particularly enjoyed inflicting pain, and he took pleasure in devising creative ways to do so. For instance, he would ride on Shen Mo’s back, whipping him and shouting, “Giddy up, horse! Move faster, or I’ll whip you to death!”
He would also sneakily pull away Shen Mo’s stool during lessons and light incense beneath it…
Many times, Shen Mo felt so overwhelmed that he considered dropping out.
But no matter how hostile Lin Family Academy was, its tutors were erudite scholars of the era, offering knowledge he could never acquire in his hometown.
He reminded himself, “I’ve endured so much suffering and persevered for so long. If I give up now and neglect my studies, all my efforts will have been in vain!”
In his most desperate moments, his mind would drift back to that rainy evening—the oil-paper umbrella shielding him from the gloom above and the pure, beautiful young lady beneath it.
One day, Lin Rufeng unexpectedly spoke to him in a friendly tone: “I’ve taken a liking to a girl, but she fancies scholars and thinks highly of herself. Shen Mo, if you help me write love letters to win her heart, I’ll stop giving you a hard time. How about it?”
Shen Mo hesitated, remaining silent.
Lin Rufeng grabbed him by the throat and threatened viciously, “If you dare refuse, I’ll make sure you can’t stay in this academy! I’ll break your legs so you can’t even take the Imperial Exam!”
Terrified and intimidated, Shen Mo had no choice but to agree.
Shen Mo’s literary talent proved exceptional. After he wrote seven love letters, the girl began responding.
At first, their exchanges were mere pleasantries, but after dozens of letters, the young maiden’s tender affections began to pour onto the pages.
Whenever Shen Mo saw Lin Rufeng flaunting those heartfelt letters without a care, he couldn’t help but feel guilty.
But what could he do?
He simply wanted to avoid further beatings and humiliation, to study in peace and strive for success in the examinations.
That was all he desired.
Yet life is inherently unjust—some commit heinous deeds and still roam free, while others pay dearly for a single mistake made under duress.
That day, at the academy’s entrance, he saw the Third Young Lady of the General’s Manor—the pure-hearted girl he had secretly cherished.
But the girl he adored was gazing at Lin Rufeng with shy, lovestruck eyes…
It was then that Shen Mo realized the girl he had been corresponding with was none other than the Third Young Lady of the General’s Manor—Liu Wanqing.
He had personally penned those moving letters, only to push the girl he loved into the arms of a scoundrel like Lin Rufeng!
By the time Shen Mo discovered the truth, it was too late—the two families had already arranged the marriage.
That day, the usually timid Shen Mo struck Lin Rufeng for the first time.
In return, he faced even more brutal retaliation.
Lin Rufeng stepped on his bruised and swollen face, smiling broadly as he revealed the truth:
“I’ve known all along that you had your eye on Miss Liu, you toad lusting after swan’s flesh! That’s why I deliberately set you up to write those letters for me.”
“How does it feel to weave the bridal gown for another’s wedding? Enjoying the taste of your own medicine? Hahaha!”