Chapter 15: The Academy Report

The household was bustling, and no one was idle.

As soon as the messenger arrived in Nanxi Village with the good news, Chen Qinghe began to contemplate the matter. Now that Chen Ping was about to enter the academy, he found a moment of leisure and summoned all his sons together.

Chen Duohai arrived somewhat late, having just returned from town with the money from selling herbs still fresh in his hands. He hurried home.

Stopping the ox cart, sweating heavily, he entered the house to find all his brothers staring at him, while their usually stern father sat at the head of the table.

“Father, why is everyone gathered like this today? Is there something going on?” the second eldest, Chen Duoguang, asked softly. “I’ve been busy in the fields lately.”

“Shouldn’t you be busy in the fields?” Chen Qinghe glanced briefly at his habitually lazy second son, then called Chen Duohai forward. “Your boy is going to the academy in town at the beginning of the month, isn’t he?”

Chen Duohai nodded, a smile in his eyes. “Soon.”

“The reason I’ve gathered you all here today is mainly for this,” Chen Qinghe said, sipping his tea brewed from coarse leaves. “It’s not easy for the Chen family to produce a scholar. You brothers have always been close; I think each of your families should contribute some silver to help support little Si.”

The five sons stood before Chen Qinghe, silent and unable to refuse.

Chen Duohai wanted to decline, but the look in Chen Qinghe’s eyes stopped him short.

“I think this is a good thing! I’ll discuss it with my wife and bring the money to your room tonight,” Chen Duochun was the first to speak, breaking the silence like a key. The other brothers quickly voiced their support, including the eldest, Chen Duoguang.

But just as he agreed, Chen Qinghe snorted coldly. “You’d better go home and discuss it first.”

No one knew better than Chen Qinghe how difficult it was dealing with Zhou’s family, but he was too lazy to meddle in the affairs of the eldest son.

Chen Duoguang, as the eldest, was publicly contradicted by his father in front of all his brothers. His face flushed with embarrassment, yet he dared not speak. Out of pride, he muttered vaguely, “I’m in charge at home.”

Once the matter was settled, the old man dismissed them, as he still had to check on the fields. Chen Duohai was asked to stay behind.

Meanwhile, Chen Duoguang returned home and barely exchanged a few words with Zhou before she threw down her needlework and erupted in curses.

“What did you agree to? With just those few fields, where do you think the money will come from? That academy isn’t a place for learning—it’s a money pit! Who knows how many holes we’ll have to fill?”

“Then what do you suggest?” Chen Duoguang, still stung by his father’s rebuke, shouted at Zhou. “Everyone already agreed to it! It’s not just our family!”

Angrily, he grabbed his hoe and stormed out.

Zhou, left alone, grew angrier by the minute. She closed the door behind her and headed toward the adjacent courtyard.

Entering, she saw Xiang tidying the dry leaves from the bamboo strips and couldn’t help but sneer sarcastically. “How many days have you not worked? Such a waste of the bamboo strips.”

“What does it matter to you, sister-in-law?” Xiang replied, picking the wildberry leaves caught in the bamboo. “I have no time to entertain you.”

“Well, of course. With everyone going to the old man to ask for money, who has time for me?”

“Watch your words. Don’t speak nonsense.”

“The old man called the brothers together today, didn’t he? All for your Chen Ping’s schooling money, right?”

Xiang frowned. She hadn’t heard Chen Duohai mention this, but judging by Zhou’s expression, it seemed true.

When Zhou fell silent, feeling justified, she continued, “We’re all just common folk who scrape a living from the earth. Why do you have to jump into that money pit? And drag our whole family into it? What, is your child more precious than ours? Who knows what the future holds…”

“Zhou!” Xiang could tolerate the earlier remarks, but when Chen Ping was brought into it, she could no longer hold back.

The two glared at each other until Chen Duohai stepped in just then. Smiling awkwardly, he entered, but before he could speak, Zhou turned and left.

Chen Duohai could only look at Xiang, who gave him nothing but her retreating back.

That night, the brothers gradually arrived at Chen Duohai’s home, though Chen Duoguang never showed.

“Go to sleep. With Zhou’s temper, I’m afraid he won’t come,” Xiang said, draping a jacket over Chen Duohai’s shoulders, urging him to rest.

“No, I’ll wait a little longer.”

It wasn’t about the money; it was about the bond between brothers.

As night deepened, footsteps sounded outside. Chen Duoguang called Chen Duohai’s name quietly and unclearly.

Drawing closer, Chen Duohai saw red marks on his brother’s face.

“Big brother, what happened to you?”

Chen Duoguang shook his head and pulled out a bundle of coins tied with grass rope. “It’s not much. You make do with it.”

“I knew you’d come. Take the money back quickly.”

Chen Duoguang was not one for words; he simply shoved the coins into his brother’s hands and turned to walk back inside briskly, leaving Chen Duohai standing alone.

...

Finally, the day to register at the academy arrived. The family of three, carrying their belongings, set out early for town.

Chen Duohai collected the formal teacher-apprentice ritual previously reserved. Holding the documents given by the messenger, the three made their way toward Huating Academy.

As promised during the entrance exam, Chen Ping’s tuition was mostly waived, even the boarding fees were free.

Xiang left some silver with Chen Ping for emergencies and wanted to help tidy his room, but Chen Ping sent her away.

Such small matters must not trouble his parents, he said. Upon asking the academy staff, he fetched water and arranged his bedding himself. Since the rooms were for resting only, he was not the only occupant.

By the time he finished, his roommate had already arrived.

The two exchanged names, and Chen Ping resumed his tasks.

Ye Chongwen wore a blue robe and looked to be about Chen Ping’s age, but his complexion was much fairer. Every movement was graceful, clearly marking him as a son of a wealthy family.

From the moment he entered, his eyes kept darting toward Chen Ping, as if afraid of being caught, frequently glancing out the window.

“Are you really called Chen Ping?” Ye Chongwen hesitated before confirming.

“Of course. Why do you ask?”

“But the Chen Ping who was asked arithmetic questions?”

“If you mean the exam, yes, there was some arithmetic involved.”

“So it was you!” Ye Chongwen’s gaze held a trace of grievance. “Do you know how much trouble you caused me...”

“How so? We’ve only just met today.”

Ye Chongwen smiled bitterly. “It all started last month. I was composing poetry and enjoying the blossoms with friends, but someone kept being mentioned by my elders. It wasn’t a big deal until my father found out there was someone my age proficient in arithmetic. My poor arithmetic suddenly became a source of disappointment to him.”

“That sounds familiar.”

“My father said, ‘Look at Chen Ping, then look at yourself.’”

Chen Ping: “...”

An undeserved misfortune. Who would have thought that one day he would become the ‘other family’s child’ adults spoke of.

Faced with this victim, Chen Ping didn’t know how to comfort him, but since it was because of him that Ye Chongwen suffered, he put on a brotherly smile and clasped Ye’s hand. “Don’t worry, I’ll teach you arithmetic, alright?”

Ye Chongwen suddenly pulled his hand back, eyes wide with alarm, clutching his chest, voice grave.

“We’ve just met... why say such harsh words?”

“I didn’t mean it!” Chen Ping hurried to explain. “Arithmetic isn’t that hard. You can definitely do it!”

“No, no, you overestimate me.”

“Not even tried, yet you already want to give up?”

Ye Chongwen retreated step by step, Chen Ping closing in.

With his back against the wall, Ye Chongwen was trapped, fearing the descent into arithmetic hell. He shut his eyes tightly, then heard Chen Ping’s laughter.

“Brother Chen... why are you laughing?”

“I was just joking.”

Ye Chongwen shuddered. “One joke like this is more than enough.”