Chapter Thirty-Five: The School Begins

Jiang Li seemed to awaken from a dream, uttered an “ah,” and hurriedly let go, flustered. “Happy New Year, little sister,” he said, his voice tinged with anxiety.

“Little sister, cousin, you’re awake?” Cai Xinlan turned at the sound, seeing the two children already up. “Wait, put on your clothes first, don’t catch a chill.” She instructed Caixia and Cairy to assist them, then walked to the other side and shook the still-sleeping Chao, “Get up, Chao, it’s the first day of the New Year—you can’t be lazy today! If you’re lazy today, you’ll be lazy all year.”

“Lazy, lazy, don’t dress, don’t eat.” Liu Qin sang a little song, making faces to amuse everyone. Only Chao refused to yield, rubbing his eyes and thrusting his bottom up as he flipped upright from the bedding, calling out, “Uncle is lazy, uncle is lazy!”

The laughter rippled again, echoing through the Liu household. Joy was contagious; soon, the mansion was filled with the sounds of chatter, laughter, and cheerful congratulations. Even the study, where Old Master Liu and his son had sat through the night, seemed infected by the festive spirit. Their furrowed brows relaxed, the sorrow in their eyes faded, and old memories were set aside for now. Revitalized, Old Master Liu stepped out, his stride once more steady and resolute.

The Spring Festival brought not just cheer to the Liu residence, but transformed the whole city of Wu into a sea of celebration—dragon lanterns, lion dancers, stilt walkers, lotus boats, firecrackers bursting everywhere and blessings exchanged constantly. On the night of the Lantern Festival, the fifteenth day of the first month, the festivities reached their peak. Lanterns stretched as far as the eye could see, lighting Wu as though it were daytime. Nearly every family ventured out together, supporting elders and children to view the lanterns and enjoy the night. At the roadside stalls, steaming bowls of sweet dumplings were savored, and only then did the New Year feel truly complete.

But Liu Qin did not experience the bustle firsthand. On the Lantern Festival night, Old Master Liu was to host a banquet for the city’s esteemed elders and scholars on behalf of the yamen, symbolizing unity between officials and citizens. Naturally, Master Liu accompanied him. With no one to look after the children, the old lady, worried about their safety in the crowds, kept them home.

Seeing Liu Qin with her cheeks puffed in displeasure, Jiang Li leaned in and whispered, “Little sister, when I grow up, I’ll take you wherever you wish to go.”

Liu Qin’s eyes sparkled. “You have to keep your word.”

“Mm.” The two children hooked pinkies, making a promise that would last a hundred years.

On the sixteenth day of the first month, life resumed its normal rhythm, and Liu Qin and her companions welcomed their second tutor, Master Zhou.

Once again, Old Master Liu brought the three children to meet the tutor. In the scholar’s lodge, Master Zhou was already waiting, clad in a blue cotton robe, looking far more spirited than last time. He held a book in one hand, the other behind his back, pacing and quietly reciting. Tall and slender, yet not frail, his face fair and beardless, now free of injuries, he appeared even more refined.

Upon Old Master Liu’s arrival, Master Zhou straightened his attire and came out to greet him, inviting him inside. The servants offered tea, and after a few polite exchanges, they began in earnest.

Liu Qin and her companions knelt to perform the formal ritual of apprenticeship, bowing and offering tea. The ceremony ended under Master Zhou’s perpetually gentle and calm gaze.

Perhaps the shock of their previous tutor’s passing had been too much; the word “teacher” had become taboo in the household. Thus, as if in agreement, the three children all addressed Master Zhou as “teacher.”

Old Master Liu understood the reason and did not press it, merely stroking his beard with a satisfied smile. “Now that you’ve apprenticed, you must follow your teacher diligently. Qin, you’re not allowed to be lazy anymore. If you misbehave, your teacher will punish you.”

“Yes, Father.”

Pleased with Liu Qin’s prompt reply, Old Master Liu exchanged a few more words with Master Zhou and then departed for the yamen.

Master Zhou did not begin teaching immediately. Instead, he asked each child to introduce their own learning—how many characters they knew, what books they had read, which were taught by a teacher, which they read themselves, and so on. He questioned them thoroughly, then tested each in turn—not just reciting texts, but having them write a large character essay.

At last, their progress was clear. Master Zhou summarized, “Hmm, I have a basic understanding of your situations. Qin and Wenhai have finished the Analects, and their foundations are similar, so you two will study together. Jiang Li learns quickly; I will teach you separately. Starting tomorrow, here is my plan: first, I will teach one incense stick’s time of ‘Three Hundred Ancient Poems’; Jiang Li may listen or practice writing. After a half-stick break, I will teach Jiang Li ‘Records of the Grand Historian’ for one and a half sticks. You two will work on assigned tasks. After another half-stick rest, I’ll return to teach more of ‘Three Hundred Ancient Poems’; Jiang Li will do his assignments. What do you think of this arrangement?”

“Perfect, absolutely perfect.” Liu Qin nodded vigorously. She hadn’t expected Master Zhou to be such a good teacher—understanding how to tailor his methods and balance work and rest. Truly, he was a talent; saving him had not been in vain.

Seeing all three nod in agreement, Master Zhou remained gentle. “If you have any ideas, feel free to share them. As long as they make sense, I will consider them.”

Liu Qin found Master Zhou completely devoid of airs, utterly different from Master Zhang. Her courage grew, and she couldn’t resist pointing to Changxing, Dongxiang, and Cuiyu in the outer room. “Teacher, could they listen to your lessons too? They have nothing to do while waiting and might as well learn to read with us.”

In the Han Kingdom, not every family could afford to educate their children. Most students were officials’ offspring, preparing for a future in government. Those who grew wealthy through trade rarely pursued officialdom. Though the Han followed the hierarchy of “scholar, farmer, artisan, merchant,” merchants’ status was not as low as it had been elsewhere; there was no notion of commerce being a base occupation. Merchants’ children could enter government, but few wealthy heirs chose that arduous path. Raised in luxury, they had no need to seek status through office—why squeeze onto that narrow bridge?

Thus, affluent families often established private schools, but mostly to teach business and finance. Ordinary folk, barely able to feed themselves, had no spare funds for uncertain education; better to learn a useful trade. Only households like Master Zhou’s—combining farming and study—persisted in sending their children to school no matter how hard or poor.

Dongxiang and Cuiyu were children from impoverished village families—often lacking enough to eat, which led to the selling of sons and daughters. The thought of education was beyond their reach. Only Changxing, once Jiang Li’s page, had learned something by listening over the years.

Master Zhou was taken aback by Liu Qin’s suggestion, even Jiang Li looked at her in puzzlement. In the Han, class distinctions remained strong; household servants stood below even ordinary folk. In charitable homes they might be well-fed, and those lucky enough could gain some dignity. But in strict, severe households, beatings and scolding were common, and a servant’s death was handled like slaughtering livestock—settled with a bit of silver.

Dongxiang and the others had been sold into the Liu household, with their indenture papers owned by the family. Their fate—beating, selling, killing—was at the master’s discretion. The Liu family was kind, but no one had ever considered letting servants learn to read with the family. Liu Qin’s suggestion was unprecedented; it thoroughly astonished Master Zhou.