Chapter 102 — IAVD (QT) Chapter 102

Zhang Ping was originally a seasoned actor. He handled all kinds of situations with ease.

But when faced with Ji Xiu’s sharp gaze, he inexplicably felt guilty. He laughed dryly and tried to change the subject. “Brother Ji, why are you staring at me? Miss Qiu has been waiting for you for several days already. Let’s go quickly, don’t delay things.”

As he spoke, he stepped forward to grab Ji Xiu.

Ji Xiu stood with his hands behind his back and neatly avoided the hand reaching toward him. Standing on the steps, he asked calmly, “Zhang Ping, I drank too much that night and went home early. I don’t remember the Miss Qiu you mentioned. Who is she?”

“What?” Zhang Ping’s expression changed slightly.

Miss Qiu was an important chess piece for him. Although she was no longer young and her beauty had faded, she possessed a gentle temperament and literary talent.

That night, after Ji Xiu met her, he had clearly been very moved. How could it be that after only three days, he turned around and pretended not to know her?

Zhang Ping was furious inside and extremely unwilling, yet he could not reveal it in front of Ji Xiu. He could only grit his teeth and suppress his emotions, pretending nothing was wrong as he said, “It’s nothing, nothing. Miss Qiu greatly admires Brother Ji and is waiting for your honored visit on the flower boat. Meeting again would also be a fine story.”

“No.” Ji Xiu refused coldly. “This year is the provincial examination year. I plan to take the August provincial exam and need to stay home and study in peace. I don’t have time to go out drinking and fooling around.”

Zhang Ping’s face changed again.

If Ji Xiu had merely forgotten Miss Qiu earlier, Zhang Ping could still force himself to stay calm and try again. But now that Ji Xiu said he wanted to cultivate himself and study, he could no longer remain composed.

These past two years, following behind Ji Xiu, he had eaten and drunk well, spent money freely, had his own lackeys, and worried about nothing. Life had been smooth and carefree. He could no longer go back to the days when he survived by flattering and currying favor with others.

If Ji Xiu abandoned him, all his current splendor and bearing would instantly be knocked back to their original form.

Don’t be fooled by how a single angry sentence from him earlier had silenced his lackeys. If he could not provide them with food, drink, and silver rewards, these people would immediately abandon him to attach themselves to another boss.

And he would only be able to trot back and become that bootlicker again, fawning over his elder brother and the young masters of other families.

“Brother Ji, what are you saying?” Zhang Ping’s mind was in chaos. In his anxiety, he spoke without thinking as he tried to persuade him. “The provincial exam is so difficult, why trouble yourself? Wouldn’t it be nice for us to drink wine and listen to music? Anyway, no matter how you take it, you won’t pass. If you fail again, the Su family will look down on you even more. Instead of working hard for nothing, you might as well come with us…”

“What did you say!”

Ji Xiu cut him off, glaring at him with eyes filled with disgust and hatred. “So you look down on me just like the Su family does!”

Zhang Ping froze, realizing he had misspoken, and hurriedly tried to placate him. “No, that’s not it!”

“Shut up!” Ji Xiu’s eyes were bloodshot, full of resentment. “The Su family looks down on me, I know that. But I treated you as friends, and in the end you also look down on me. Fine. Zhang Ping, let me tell you this. Our ties are severed from this day on. You’d better not come looking for me again. Come to me once, and I’ll beat you once!”

With that, Ji Xiu shot him a vicious glare, flicked his sleeve, and went into the Su residence.

Zhang Ping hurriedly tried to follow, but was stopped by the gatekeeper.

The gatekeeper had long disliked Ji Xiu going out drinking with outsiders every day and wasting the Su family’s silver. Seeing that Ji Xiu wanted to sever ties with Zhang Ping, how could he still let Zhang Ping in? He stepped forward and shoved him. “Go, go, go. My family’s son-in-law already said he doesn’t want to see you. Know your place and leave, don’t force me to use my hands.”

Zhang Ping could not break free and could only watch helplessly as Ji Xiu’s back disappeared.

Humiliated and furious, his face alternated between green and white. He violently shook off the gatekeeper’s hand. “Let go. I’ll leave on my own!”

Turning around, he went down the steps of the Su residence. Looking at the lackeys waiting in the shade, he ground his teeth. Thinking of something, his face twisted with anger. “Let’s go. To the flower boat!”

That useless woman Miss Qiu. He had given her Ji Xiu’s poems, yet she still could not keep Ji Xiu’s heart. Instead, she had stirred Ji Xiu’s determination to continue the imperial examinations. Utter trash.

The more Zhang Ping thought about it, the angrier he became. With great hostility, he led his lackeys to a certain flower boat on the Qinhuai River.

Miss Qiu was burning incense and tuning her zither. She looked up, did not see Ji Xiu, and showed a surprised expression. “Where is he?”

Slap!

Zhang Ping struck her across the face. “Useless trash!”

Five finger marks appeared on Miss Qiu’s face. She looked blank and panicked. “Why did you hit me?”

Zhang Ping was convinced that Miss Qiu had caused him to lose both people and money. He rained down several more slaps without restraint. “Useless thing, cheap bitch. Yesterday I told you to sleep with Ji Xiu and bind him to us completely. You insisted on pretending to be dignified, leaving some so-called mystery, saying that scholars like that sort of thing. Now look at this. Ji Xiu went back to study and refuses to come again. It’s all because of you, you cheap bitch!”

Miss Qiu knew Zhang Ping had violent tendencies, but in the past, when he hit her, it was at most once or twice. He was afraid of damaging her face and affecting her value. Now, after more than ten slaps, she was barely human. She could not even cry out.

The madam of the flower boat heard the commotion and rushed over. She brought people to drive Zhang Ping off the boat and grabbed him, demanding silver as compensation.

Zhang Ping pointed righteously at Miss Qiu. “Go ask her for it.”

Miss Qiu could only lie on the ground crying, unable to speak.

The flower boat madam sneered, clapped her hands, and called out two rows of thugs. “Are you paying or not?”

Only then did Zhang Ping regret it. He shouted toward Miss Qiu, forcing down his impatience. “Miss, hurry and say something to the madam.”

Miss Qiu sobbed, wiped her tears, and raised her head, wanting to speak.

The flower boat madam waved her hand, not giving her a chance to speak, and ordered the maids to carry her inside. She continued blocking Zhang Ping and demanded compensation.

Zhang Ping’s face was livid. Looking at the two rows of thugs, he could neither leave nor fight. Helpless, he took out all the silver on him and barely scraped together enough to pay. Only then did he free himself from the flower boat madam’s grasp and leave in a fury.

The flower boat madam spat and turned back inside.

Entering, she found Miss Qiu and stuffed the silver into her hands. Hating iron for not becoming steel, she scolded, “A good man is not so easy to find. You must be blind to treat such an incompetent piece of trash who only shows off his might against women as a good man.”

Miss Qiu had her sore spot struck. She cried even harder. The pain in her body was not even one-tenth of the pain in her heart.

“Wuwu, madam, I was wrong…”

More than ten days later, Zhang Ping had spent all the silver on him. He went to look for Ji Xiu several times but could not see him no matter what.

With no other options, he impatiently went to find Miss Qiu.

“This guest, to board the flower boat you must first pay ten taels of silver. This is our rule.”

“What? Where is Miss Qiu? Tell her to come out. I, Zhang Ping, have come here so many times. I’ve never seen such a blind maid as you.”

“Guest, this was Miss Qiu’s instruction. She said there will be no more exceptions for anyone. We are only following orders.”

Zhang Ping froze, a bad premonition rising in his heart.

After much difficulty, he scraped together ten taels of silver from his lackeys and boarded the flower boat. What he saw was Miss Qiu following behind the flower boat madam, smiling as she greeted guests. When she saw him, she quickly looked away, her expression cold. There was no longer any of the affection she once had in her eyes.

The feeling in his heart grew even worse.

……

That day, after acting his part to dismiss Zhang Ping, Ji Xiu returned to the study to read.

Later, the gatekeeper came to report something once more, but Ji Xiu took the opportunity to scold him, telling him not to report every nameless nobody. Likely bearing a grudge, the gatekeeper never reported Zhang Ping’s visits again.

Ji Xiu did not know whether Zhang Ping came afterward, but he could guess. Facing his provider, Zhang Ping would not give up easily. Most likely, he was guarding the side gate waiting for him to go out.

For the sake of his peaceful days, Ji Xiu stayed home for quite some time. Every day, he accompanied Su Ling’er to talk and eat at regular hours, studied in the study, and occasionally exercised.

Only when he ran out of ink and paper did he go to the accounts office to get silver and go out to the bookshop to buy writing supplies.

By this time, a month had already passed since Zhang Ping’s appearance.

Ji Xiu did not see Zhang Ping at the side gate. After buying what he needed at the bookshop, he deliberately strolled to a tavern he used to frequent and listened to some news about Zhang Ping.

In the past, relying on Ji Xiu’s silver, Zhang Ping had wide connections and quite a bit of reputation in this area.

Now, without Ji Xiu’s support, the tree had fallen and the monkeys scattered. His so-called friends and lackeys, just like in the previous life toward the original owner, quickly dispersed.

It was said that Zhang Ping was now so down and out that he had gone back to leading horses and serving water for the young masters of various families, currying favor with his elder brother, the legitimate son. He was servile, low in status, and so busy that he could not even leave the house. He no longer had any of the glory of the past two years. Because he had been away for two years, his elder brother had gained a more useful concubine-born younger brother and looked down on him, often showing disdain.

In one sentence, he was living even worse than before.

Hearing this, Ji Xiu asked about Miss Qiu’s situation.

Upon learning that Miss Qiu and Zhang Ping had gone their separate ways, he was slightly surprised, but quickly let it go. He nodded in thanks and left with his things.

Knowing that Zhang Ping was not doing well satisfied him.

As for Miss Qiu, who had colluded with Zhang Ping to scheme against him, in the previous life she had been abandoned by Zhang Ping and drowned. In this life, she had another opportunity and escaped the sea of suffering. She was also a person of bitter fate, and he was too lazy to interfere.

His trip out today was not only to buy writing supplies. He had other matters to attend to.

After a month, Ji Xiu had already fully integrated the original owner’s memories and the knowledge from books. He had an understanding of the essentials of the Four Books and Five Classics. However, if the original owner’s memories were truly useful, he would not have needed to wait until now. He would have passed the provincial exam long ago.

After reviewing the original owner’s memories, Ji Xiu felt he still needed to find good teachers and beneficial friends.

This trip out, he planned to go take a look at the county school.

The original owner was a xiucai. As an examination licentiate, he had the qualifications to study at the county and prefectural schools. Before giving up on the imperial examinations, he often went to the county school to attend lectures.

There were two juren teachers at the county school, as well as several elderly xiucai, all of whom could offer guidance.

However, the original owner was the type of student with an excellent memory but extremely poor comprehension. What the teachers taught, he could easily memorize, but when asked to draw inferences or understand the meaning, he often made mistakes.

The county, prefectural, and academy exams were collectively called the preliminary examinations. One only needed to memorize the Four Books and Five Classics to pass. But the provincial exam required the comprehension and insight that the original owner lacked.

The original owner had been stuck at the provincial exam for twelve full years.

However, he was not the one stuck the longest. Besides him, there were many scholars who became xiucai in their youth, yet grew old with gray hair and beards without ever passing the provincial exam.

The several xiucai teachers at the county school were exactly like that.

As fellow scholars, they could better understand each other.

Seeing Ji Xiu appear at the county school surprised and delighted the teachers there.

They had heard of the storms of the past two years and felt great pity for Ji Xiu.

If he were from an ordinary family, becoming a xiucai would already be enough to bring honor to his ancestors. Unfortunately, he had married into the Su family. With a family background like theirs, they truly looked down on the xiucai degree.

They deeply empathized with the pressure Ji Xiu felt after failing four times. Toward his self-destructive behavior, they felt both heartache and helplessness.

Now that Ji Xiu came to the county school, his eyes looked clear and his expression normal, as if he had emerged from the frustration of failure. They were happier than if they themselves had passed the provincial exam.

“Jingzhi, you’ve come.”

Jingzhi was Ji Xiu’s courtesy name. Scholars addressed each other this way.

Ji Xiu smiled, greeted the teachers, exchanged pleasantries about recent events, thanked them for their concern, and then went with them to the classroom to listen to the lecture.

He had deliberately calculated the date. The two juren teachers each came to the county school to lecture once every ten days, and today happened to be one of those days.

On such a day, there would be especially many students at the county school, all there for the juren teachers. Even the elderly xiucai would sit in to listen.

Ji Xiu had long been prepared to meet acquaintances.

As they spoke, a young juren teacher entered the classroom and began checking everyone’s progress and randomly testing recitation.

When it was Ji Xiu’s turn, before Ji Xiu could speak, the teacher froze.

This juren teacher had once been Ji Xiu’s classmate. His name was Yin Xiang, courtesy name Mingrui. He had talent, diligence, and opportunity, and became a juren six years ago.

The original owner was insecure and sensitive, ashamed to see former friends, and had never attended his classes.

Because of this, it was no wonder Yin Xiang was startled when he saw him.

Ji Xiu smiled and stood up calmly. According to Yin Xiang’s request, he recited a passage from the text.

Yin Xiang stared at Ji Xiu, their gazes meeting.

Ji Xiu continued to smile. Yin Xiang was slightly stunned, then quickly showed a relieved smile, as if he understood that this old classmate had already untied the knot in his heart.

After that, he continued teaching as usual.

Ji Xiu also listened as usual, as if nothing were amiss.

It had to be said that Yin Xiang truly possessed talent and ability to have passed the examination. In just one hour of class, Ji Xiu absorbed much knowledge that did not exist in the original owner’s memories.

After class, Yin Xiang did not leave. Instead, he gave Ji Xiu a look, then left with his books and teaching notes.

Ji Xiu smiled, packed his things, and followed him out while the classroom was noisy and no one was paying attention.

“Jingzhi, you’ve finally figured it out,” Yin Xiang said, waiting for him at the door, his expression happy.

Ji Xiu chuckled and answered with a question instead. “I plan to take the August provincial exam. I wonder if Mingrui can give me a hand.”

Yin Xiang smiled and patted his shoulder. “Why say such polite words? Come, let’s go to my house and have a good talk.”

Ji Xiu readily agreed.

The two left the county school together, reminiscing as they walked, until they arrived at the Yin residence.

The Yin family was a scholarly household. Yin Xiang’s father was also a juren. Two generations of juren, with a solid family foundation. Influenced since childhood by example and instruction, it was not surprising that Yin Xiang became a juren at the age of twenty-three.

Yin Xiang was hospitable and very warm toward Ji Xiu, this former youthful classmate. He brought him into the study, invited him to drink tea and talk, then took out the books and annotations he had accumulated over the years and handed them to Ji Xiu. “Take a look and see if they’re useful. If they are, take them back and read them. If you encounter something you don’t understand, come ask me.”

Ji Xiu flipped a couple of pages and saw two lines of annotations. One line was relatively recent, with clear ink and handwriting that looked like Yin Xiang’s. The other was older, the ink slightly diffused, at least twenty years old. He guessed it was annotated by Yin Xiang’s father, and a wave of emotion surged in his heart.

In modern times, when students read books, every classical text had notes beneath it, making reading feel easy. But in ancient times, these annotations and explanations were secret knowledge, only exchanged among close friends or passed down to descendants. They were never casually revealed.

This was also why it was difficult for peasants to break through class barriers through the imperial examinations and rise in status.

Knowledge was monopolized. Class was solidified. Great clans controlled knowledge and were unwilling to share it with outsiders.

Yet Yin Xiang, upon learning that Ji Xiu still wanted to take the provincial exam, easily handed over such precious materials.

Even if Ji Xiu and Yin Xiang had never truly interacted and only knew of each other through memories, at this moment he could not remain unmoved.

“Many thanks, Mingrui.” Holding the books, Ji Xiu solemnly clasped his hands and bowed. “I will finish reading them as soon as possible and return them.”

Yin Xiang laughed loudly. “No rush. Take your time. Actually, I wanted to give these to you long ago, but you kept avoiding me, and I never found the chance.”

Ji Xiu paused. So there had been such a thing?

That was indeed a pity.

The original owner had an exceptional memory. If he had obtained these annotations from Yin Xiang earlier, he might truly have passed the provincial exam.

Unfortunately, at that time, after three failures, his confidence had suffered a heavy blow. He avoided Yin Xiang and missed this opportunity.

It could only be said that differences in life circumstances were inseparable from differences in character.

……

After obtaining the materials from Yin Xiang and thanking him repeatedly, Ji Xiu prepared to take his leave.

He had left in a hurry and still needed to return to eat lunch with Su Ling’er.

Yin Xiang did not know the inside story. He tried to persuade him to stay a bit longer, but seeing he truly could not be persuaded, he looked regretful. “Alright. Jingzhi, study well at home. When you have time, come visit my house again. My father has always wanted to meet you.”

“Meet me?”

Yin Xiang smiled. “Back then, my father also became a xiucai in his teens, then failed repeatedly until he became a juren in his thirties. He feels your current situation is very similar to his back then and has always wanted to give you some advice, to tell you to be patient. Unfortunately, I was useless and could not invite you.”

Ji Xiu once again felt the Yin family’s goodwill. He was slightly taken aback, then smiled and replied, “Please thank your esteemed father for me. I will certainly come for a formal visit when I have time.”

Yin Xiang nodded. “That’s fine.”

He then saw Ji Xiu out.

Ji Xiu bid farewell to Yin Xiang and left the Yin residence. Because he was holding a stack of precious manuscripts and feared bumping into people, he avoided the bustling main streets and took a small path back to the Su residence.

When he reached an alley, he encountered an unfamiliar youth.

The youth wore a long robe washed to a pale white and held two books in his arms. His features were delicate. He came out from a corner and almost collided with Ji Xiu.

Ji Xiu stepped aside and reminded him, “Be careful.”

The youth froze, then hurriedly apologized. “I’ll be more careful next time. Sorry.”

Ji Xiu nodded and walked past him, continuing home.

The youth’s gaze lingered on the books in Ji Xiu’s arms, desire evident in his eyes. Only when Ji Xiu’s figure disappeared did he press his lips together and continue walking toward home.

He took several turns and arrived at a very remote small courtyard.

“Father, Mother, little sister, I’m back.”

Several figures quickly came out of the house and ushered the youth inside.

“You went to copy books again, didn’t you? We told you not to work so hard. Your father and mother can earn money for your studies.”

“My sister’s health isn’t very good. I want to earn more money to buy medicine for her.”

“Sigh…”

……

Ji Xiu did not know how much the youth he had met by chance coveted the books in his hands, nor where the youth went after he left.

However, the Yin family’s books were indeed precious.

Ancient papermaking was not very advanced, and books were difficult to preserve. A slight carelessness could damage them, especially the books he carried, which had been passed down from Yin Xiang’s father twenty years ago.

His own study also had some handwritten copies with famous annotations, but those bought with money and those gifted by friends were entirely different matters.

Upon returning to the Su residence, Ji Xiu took out a wooden box and carefully placed the books inside. Only then did he let out a breath.

He glanced up at the water clock in the study. It was almost time for lunch. Regretfully looking at the books, he left the study, planning to accompany Su Ling’er for lunch first and read in the afternoon.

“Father, you’re here!” Su Ling’er showed a big smile, without any gloom, bright like a little sun.

Seeing her smile, Ji Xiu felt his mood lift as well. He revealed an indulgent smile and replied, “I’m here.”