Blood smeared Xin Jinian’s face, making him look quite terrifying. His classmates, who had been playing, cried out in alarm, fearing they might get into trouble, and scattered in a flurry.
The Xin family held considerable influence, and Xin Jinian was not an easy person to deal with. Not a single person went to check on his injuries or help him up.
Mr. Zhou happened to be on the covered corridor when he heard the crying and shouting. Startled, he rushed over and pulled Xin Jinian up from the ground.
“What happened?” Mr. Zhou was also frightened by Xin Jinian’s ghastly appearance. As he asked, he glanced around.
Xin Jinian wailed, “Someone harmed me! Someone tripped me! I’m going back to tell my father and have him beat that person to death!”
The students of the Mengtong Class stood in small groups, craning their necks to watch the commotion from a distance. The only ones nearby were Fang Yin and Cheng Zi’an, who had just stepped out of the classroom.
Fang Yin looked utterly bewildered, while Cheng Zi’an sat on the corridor outside the classroom with one foot bare, holding his shoe in his hand, his mouth slightly agape in stunned disbelief.
Mr. Zhou frowned and asked, “Cheng Zi’an, did you see what happened?”
Upon hearing this, Xin Jinian immediately shouted, “Sir, it was Cheng Zi’an! Cheng Zi’an harmed me!”
Mr. Zhou retorted impatiently, “How could Cheng Zi’an have harmed you? He was far away from you!”
Xin Jinian faltered for a moment, then continued accusing, “Then it was Fang Yin!”
Mr. Zhou was even more exasperated. “Fang Yin was just in the classroom.”
Unable to pin the blame on anyone, Xin Jinian, in pain and feeling wronged, threw his head back and cried even louder.
Cheng Zi’an raised the shoe in his hand and said, “Mr. Zhou, a pebble got into my shoe, and I was cleaning it out. I didn’t see what happened. When jumping down the steps, it’s common to accidentally fall, isn’t it?”
The steps weren’t particularly high and were flat, so accidental falls did happen. The classmates who had been crowded around Xin Jinian earlier, afraid of being implicated by him, quickly chimed in to support Cheng Zi’an.
“Yes, jumping down steps is dangerous. It’s easy to fall if you’re not careful.”
“He fell by himself. No one tripped him.”
Mr. Zhou hesitated, his feelings quite complicated.
Xin Jinian was unpopular, and at a time like this, everyone feared being associated with him. No one cared about his injuries.
Fortunately, although Xin Jinian looked a mess, he had only suffered a split lip that bled and lost a front tooth that had been looser than usual and was already on the verge of falling out. His knees and elbows were bruised, but no bones or tendons were injured, so he was essentially fine.
Mr. Zhou recalled Xin Zhong’s earlier remarks, which hinted at how much Xin Zhong and his wife doted on their son. To them, even a scraped knee would be treated as a major incident.
“From now on, no one is allowed to jump down the steps. If I find out, you will be severely punished!” Mr. Zhou, furious, swept his gaze over the students and issued the command with utmost authority.
No one dared to argue, shrinking their necks and murmuring in agreement.
Mr. Zhou said, “Hurry home now, and no more mischief!”
“Yes!” the students replied firmly and energetically this time, shouldering their book bags and leaving cheerfully.
Seeing that Mr. Zhou had settled the matter—declaring that Xin Jinian had fallen on his own and that no one else was involved—Cheng Zi’an lowered his head to put on his shoe and left the Mengtong Academy via the covered corridor.
At the academy gate, he glanced back. Mr. Zhou was still trying to console Xin Jinian, who continued to wail as if mourning a death, surrounded by an air of Hui Qi.
Outside the gates of the Fuxue, many servants and attendants were waiting. Qingchuan had already arrived and stepped forward to take Cheng Zi’an’s book bag, slinging it over his own shoulder. He smiled and said, “Young Master, let’s hurry home. The master has given orders that you are not to dawdle on the way.”
The luxurious and spacious carriage of the Xin family was parked at the main gate, with two young servants and a coachman constantly craning their necks to peer inside. Cheng Zi’an’s gaze swept over them indifferently, and he lazily responded, “Alright. Qingchuan, what’s for dinner tonight?”
Qingchuan chuckled and said, “Eldest Uncle and Second Uncle heard that the young master enjoys eating eel, so they sent over a large basket of eels. They said since it’s the holiday, the young master should go back to his uncles’ house to play for a few days.”
Cui Suniang had four siblings: two elder brothers and a younger sister. The eldest, Cui Wen, worked as a minor clerk in charge of taxes and grain in the yamen, while the second, Cui Wu, was a constable in the yamen. Her younger sister, Cui Meiniang, married into the neighboring Qingzhou Prefecture. Her husband, Sun Shiming, was also a Juren (Provincial Graduate) and, like Cheng Zhen, would travel to the capital next year to take the Spring Imperial Examination.
Most of the other descendants of the Cui clan also served as clerks. Though the Cui family seemed unremarkable, they were not to be underestimated. Clerks were like local snakes—permanent fixtures while officials came and went. When newly appointed officials arrived in a region, they dared not claim they must rely on the local clerks, but they also dared not easily offend them.
Cheng Zi’an had never visited the prefectural city before, so upon hearing this, he immediately grew excited, planning to take full advantage of the holiday to explore everywhere.
Just then, footsteps sounded behind him. Cheng Zi’an turned to see Fang Yin and his father, Fang Daniu.
Fang Daniu wore a long gown that was ninety percent new, with clear crease lines visible on the fabric—clearly taken out of a chest and freshly put on.
Usually, when farming, he wore short jackets. This long gown was likely reserved for the New Year. The fabric was thick, and beads of sweat dotted his dark, rough forehead. His movements were stiff and awkward, full of restraint.
Fang Yin subtly hid behind his father. Seeing this, Cheng Zi’an nodded and smiled at Fang Daniu, who was bowing and greeting him obsequiously. Then, he pulled Qingchuan, who had also turned to look, and walked ahead. “Qingchuan, let’s walk faster. We mustn’t keep Father waiting.”
Qingchuan agreed and quickened his pace. “Young master, the master has gone to the prefectural city and will return later. After I see you home, I’ll go to the prefectural city to fetch him.”
Cheng Zi’an grinned. “Is that so? Father isn’t home? What a shame.”
Qingchuan glanced at him and said slowly, “Judging by your expression, young master, it doesn’t look like you think it’s a shame at all.”
Cheng Zi’an replied, “Qingchuan, don’t mind such details.”
Qingchuan was amused and laughed heartily. The two chatted and laughed all the way home.
With Cheng Zhen away, Cheng Zi’an felt relaxed and content, eating until his belly was round. After the meal, he rested under the eaves to cool off, munching on a large pile of seasonal fresh peaches and loquats.
Cui Suniang, fearing he might overeat, kept urging him, “Oh dear, eat less. Too many peaches can make your heart flutter, and loquats are cold in nature—be careful not to upset your stomach. What about the homework your teacher assigned? Bring it out now. You can work on it while digesting.”
Cheng Zi’an was momentarily stunned. The joy of the holiday had been so overwhelming that he had only half-listened when the teacher assigned the homework.
Trivial matters never stayed on Cheng Zi’an’s mind.
Now, how could he possibly remember?
However, Cheng Zi’an showed no sign of panic. Without changing his expression, he lied, “Mother, the teacher didn’t assign any homework.”
Cui Suniang refused to believe him, scrutinizing him up and down. “Really? I’ll ask your father when he returns.”
Cheng Zi’an coughed and changed his tune. “Just a few pages of calligraphy and some memorization. Mother, don’t bother Father with such trivial matters. Father is someone who must prepare for the Jinshi (Successful Candidate of the Highest Imperial Exam).”
Cui Suniang raised her hand as if to swat him. The orange-yellow nails on her slender fingers looked especially beautiful under the lamplight.
Cheng Zi’an wondered to himself whether it was the balsam flowers that made the nail dye beautiful, or if it was Cheng Zhen’s skill in applying it.
Cui Suniang chided him, “Stop fooling around. If your father finds out you’ve been playing instead of doing your homework, he’ll surely give you a beating.”
The cool night breeze blew gently, insects chirped, and frogs joined in the fun, croaking in response.
In the basin, mugwort leaves meant to repel mosquitoes emitted a slow, steady stream of smoke, filling the courtyard with the scent of mugwort. Cui Suniang’s round fan occasionally waved toward Cheng Zi’an, fearing that mosquitoes undeterred by the mugwort might come to bite him.
Having eaten and drunk his fill, Cheng Zi’an began to yawn. Just then, Cheng Zhen returned. Cui Suniang stood up to greet him, and seeing this, Cheng Zi’an quietly slipped away into the house.
Cheng Zhen shot Cheng Zi’an a glare, but since it was already late, he didn’t press the matter. Turning to Cui Suniang, he said, “Don’t worry about me. You should rest.”
Once inside, perhaps because it was a holiday, Cheng Zi’an rubbed his round belly and found himself unable to sleep.
The night was quiet, and the intermittent voices of Cheng Zhen and Cui Suniang from the corridor drifted into the room.
“The chief examiner hasn’t been decided yet. Everyone is saying it might be Minister Wen. But rumors are often unreliable. Whoever becomes the chief examiner, it doesn’t matter.”
“I ran into Mr. Zhou, and he told me Xin Jinian had fallen and injured himself. Mr. Zhou personally escorted him back home. He seemed quite troubled, though he didn’t say much. He mentioned that Xin Zhong insisted someone had harmed his son and demanded a thorough investigation, threatening to report it to the authorities otherwise.”
Huh?
Cheng Zi’an’s ears perked up instantly, and he froze in place.