Poor but talented scholar

Chapter 25 Establishing Authority

As dawn broke, the courtyard of the private school was completely silent.

Lu Chuan stood at the end of Class C's line. Although his posture was upright, his face appeared even paler as he deliberately controlled his breathing.

Master Zhao slowly walked up the steps, his face ashen.

His scholar's robe fluttered in the cold wind, and his gaze, sharp as a blade, swept over Li Ji, Zhang Fugui, and Wang Lang.

"What happened yesterday was so heinous that it was unheard of!" Master Zhao's voice suddenly turned stern, and he slammed the ruler heavily into his palm. "You destroyed school equipment to use as murder weapons, gathered a crowd to besiege your classmates, and even made false accusations against them. You read the books of sages and virtuous men, yet you did such despicable things."

Li Ji and the other two turned deathly pale, bowed their heads deeply, and felt their legs go weak.

"Today, I hereby reiterate the school rules. Any student of mine who again commits bullying, vandalism, or false accusations..." Master Zhao surveyed the room, his voice resounding, "...once verified, will be immediately expelled from the school, the matter reported throughout the county, and will never be employed again."

The word "expulsion" struck everyone's heart like a heavy hammer.

In this remote countryside where literary traditions have declined and official schools are difficult to access, being able to enter the tutelage of a renowned scholar like Master Zhao is already extremely fortunate.

If I am expelled, I will lose not only a desk, but also decades of my life.

The announcement to the village meant that their bad behavior was officially recorded. From then on, they were seen as spendthrifts by their elders and as scoundrels by the government. Not only was their path to the imperial examinations completely blocked, but even finding a decent job or a respectable marriage in Qingyang County would be impossible because of their moral failings.

This isn't punishment; it's clearly robbing them of their future.

Looking down at the several pale, terrified faces below, Master Zhao knew that this heavy blow had completely shattered the last vestiges of arrogance in these disciples' hearts.

He suppressed the anger in his eyes, leaving only a cold solemnity, and finally added with a resounding final sentence that sent chills down everyone's spine:

"Don't say you weren't warned!"

But Master Zhao's punishment was not over. He turned to look at Lu Chuan, his gaze now filled with a complex emotion.

"Lu Chuan has come under my wing and suffered this undeserved calamity. Not only is he physically injured, but he has also suffered the pain of shock." Master Zhao turned and stared intently at Li Ji and the other two. "According to the laws of my Great Qian Dynasty, the punishment for fighting and injuring people also follows the teachings of mutual love in my school."

"The ringleader, Li Ji, contributed three taels of silver for medical treatment; Zhang Fugui and Wang Lang each contributed one tael of silver for medical treatment."

"Give it to Lu Chuan within three days for compensation and recuperation!"

Upon hearing this, the students below couldn't help but gasp in surprise.

In that era, five taels of silver was almost enough for two or three years of tuition for a poor student.

"Do any of you have any objections?" Master Zhao shouted sternly.

Li Ji and the other two felt a bitter taste in their mouths, but how could they dare to utter a single word of dissent?

Everyone's eyes turned to look behind them, fixed on a few people.

Lu Chuan remained standing there, his shoulders slightly slumped, making him appear particularly breathtaking under the gaze of the crowd.

In contrast, Li Ji, Zhang Fugui, and Wang Lang had long lost their former arrogance that once dominated the school. They seemed to have lost their backbone, their faces ashen, and they didn't even dare to look up at their classmates' disdainful gazes.

Inside Class C's dormitory, the sound of students reading aloud filled the air, but today, the sound lacked the usual restlessness.

Lin Zhe leaned closer to Lu Chuan and whispered, "Lu Chuan, you're really something. That's five taels of silver! My dad couldn't save that much even after a year of hard work. Let's see if they dare to try anything funny again."

Lu Chuan did not respond; he was focused on reading the Analects on the table.

In class, Master Zhao talked about the word "trust," saying, "A person's word is trustworthy."

Lu Chuan raised his hand and asked, "Master, if someone is forced by circumstances to make a promise they cannot keep, is that also considered a breach of trust? If the foundation of integrity lies in contracts, and the execution of contracts depends on power, how should a wise person deal with a situation where the weak are harmed for upholding their promises?"

Upon hearing this, Master Zhao paused slightly in his writing.

He looked at Lu Chuan, a hint of amazement and deep thought flashing in his eyes. This question had completely gone beyond the scope of elementary education.

He found that the boy's perspective on problems was cold and precise, completely unlike that of someone his age.

Master Zhao put down his brush and remained silent for a long time.

"Lu Chuan, your words about 'contract' and 'power' may sound strange, but they strike at the heart of the matter." Master Zhao slowly rose, walked to Lu Chuan's desk with his hands behind his back, and said earnestly, "The wise deal with this by knowing when to advance and when to retreat. Keeping promises is the foundation of one's character, but if power can easily be replaced by contracts, then one must take advantage of the situation."

The sage said, "A wise man does not stand under a crumbling wall." This means that you should not fight a losing battle, but rather learn to accumulate strength. Only when the two sides are evenly matched can the rules truly be rules.

This Q&A session left the students present completely bewildered, except for Lu Chuan, who nodded slightly, seemingly understanding.

After the calligraphy lesson, the school returned to its usual tranquility.

These past few days, Li Ji and the other two have been avoiding the main gate, fearing that Master Zhao might find even the slightest mistake on their part.

However, for Lu Chuan, the real test has only just begun.

He sat by the window of Class C dormitory, silently unfolding the stack of slightly better quality paper that he had bought with the medical expense compensation.

He picked up his pen, his eyes as calm as an ancient well, and began to practice each character over and over again.

He was practicing calligraphy in a serene state, as if all the disturbances of the outside world were irrelevant to him.

"Although the posture is vigorous, the transitions are too aggressive and lack smoothness."

Master Zhao appeared behind him without his noticing. Looking at the neat and upright characters on the paper, which resembled iron strokes and silver hooks, he couldn't help but offer his guidance.

Lu Chuan put down his pen and bowed slightly: "This student has learned much."

The three-day appointment arrived in the blink of an eye.

At dusk after school, Li Ji, Zhang Fugui, and Wang Lang reluctantly appeared before Lu Chuan.

Avoiding the gaze of their classmates, they handed the heavy five taels of silver to Lu Chuan under the old locust tree behind the school building.

Li Ji's face remained ashen: "Lu Chuan, here's the money. But this isn't over between us."

Lu Chuan took the money bag, but unlike most farm boys, he did not show any surprise or fear.

In front of the three of them, he slowly and deliberately untied the cloth bag, his fingertips gently moving the silver coins with practiced ease.

"Brother Li, you flatter me. Now that the money has been paid, the debt is settled." Lu Chuan put away his silver pouch. "But besides the Great Qian Law, there is one more thing. The three of you damaged the school's public property. If you don't make amends, the teacher will likely have a hard time with you."

"Lu Chuan, don't push your luck!" Zhang Fugui was so anxious that he jumped up and down. The five taels of silver were only raised by them by selling their private collection of toys.

"I didn't bully you." Lu Chuan turned around, his shadow stretching long in the setting sun. "I'm just reminding you all."

Lin Zhe squeezed next to Lu Chuan, looked at the silver purse, and whispered, "Lu Chuan, let's see who dares to bully you now. With this money, you can buy some good pens and ink, and you won't have to collect those scraps of paper anymore."