RATMOFANF: Chapter 63

 Glossary

· Shen Jingxiu: The female protagonist, Li Ling's wife.

· Li Ling: The Heir of Zhenguo Duke Manor, Shen Jingxiu's husband.

· Shen Xing: Shen Jingxiu's younger brother.

· Wang Shi: Shen Jingxiu's stepmother.

· Cai Lun: The Chancellor of the National University (Official Cai).

· Zhang Huaisheng: A former Chancellor of the National University.

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Chapter 63: The Teacher Only Praised Boyue's Essay

Jingxiu left Ziyun to manage affairs and returned to her parental home with Danzhu and Bilü to pick up her younger brother for his enrollment.

When the carriage arrived at the Shen residence, they happened to see Shen Xing and Wang Shi arguing at the front gate. As soon as Shen Xing saw the Zhenguo Duke Manor's carriage, he bounded over eagerly to greet them.

Jingxiu got out of the carriage and ruffled his hair. "Were you waiting for me here so early in the morning? How did you know I was coming?"

As she spoke, Wang Shi also came forward. "We didn't expect the Eldest Young Lady to return at this hour. The day before yesterday, the Young Master sent someone to inform us that Xing'er could enter the official academy. Your father has his rest day the day after tomorrow; we originally agreed he would take him to enroll then. But now, this child is so impatient like a monkey, insisting on going right now. Your father has gone to his government office, and I..."

Although Wang Shi had been elevated to the status of official wife and was now Jingxiu's stepmother, for so many years, she still habitually called Jingxiu "Eldest Young Lady," just as she did when she served as a maid beside Jingxiu's birth mother, Lady Jiang.

Her nature was timid. Even after being an official's wife for many years, she was still unaccustomed to appearing in public.

Jingxiu naturally understood her stepmother's difficulty and said with a smile, "I came today specifically to take Xing'er to enroll."

Xing'er clapped his hands with joy. "Great! That's great!"

Wang Shi looked at Jingxiu gratefully. "For Xing'er to have this opportunity, we truly must thank the Young Master."

Jingxiu replied, "We are all one family. There's no need for such formality, Mother."

Wang Shi excitedly clutched her handkerchief, unsure how to express the gratitude in her heart, and could only smile at Jingxiu.

Shen Xing, standing to the side, tugged at Jingxiu's sleeve and said with a smile, "Eldest Sister, another day I must personally thank Brother-in-law." His small eyes shifted thoughtfully. "Brother-in-law did such a big thing for me. Eldest Sister, tell me, should I prepare a gift for him? What should I give?"

Jingxiu patted her young brother's head, her face wreathed in smiles. "Diligently applying yourself and studying earnestly with the teacher is the best gift you can give your brother-in-law. Our Shen family has only you, the one male heir. In the future, bringing glory to the family lineage will rely on you."

Upon hearing this, Shen Xing looked up at Jingxiu and said, "Eldest Sister, rest assured, I will definitely apply myself diligently and not disappoint you."

Jingxiu smiled and patted his youthful shoulders. "Let's go. It's not early anymore. Your Eldest Sister will take you to the academy now to meet the teacher."

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

Shen Xing followed his elder sister into the carriage in high spirits. Wang Shi stood beside the carriage, still uneasy, and repeatedly instructed, "Once you enter the academy, you must listen to the teacher."

The carriage rumbled on, leaving the Shen residence and heading towards the official academy of Shen Xing's dreams.

After passing three streets and traversing an alley, they reached the gate of the imperial clan school, still half a li away from the official academy.

From this point onward, even the children of the most prominent families had to dismount from their carriages or horses and proceed on foot. Jingxiu got out of the carriage with Xing'er, took his hand, and walked towards the academic palace.

Here, national tutors and great Confucian scholars gathered, bringing together the highest quality educational resources of Great Qi. The academic palace covered a vast area, its architecture simple, elegant, and classical.

The siblings stood before the gate of the academic palace. They saw a black lacquered wooden plaque inscribed with the four large characters: "Jixia Academy." These characters were said to have been personally written by the academy's founder, who was also the founder of the Great Qi Dynasty, Emperor Qi Yuan.

This was the academy where the noble sons of Great Qi pursued their studies, and also the cradle for cultivating the nation's pillars.

The palace motto inscribed on either side of the main gate read: “In scholarship, one should contemplate daily progress; in official service, one should emulate integrity and incorruptibility.” The vigorous, powerful characters were also personally written by Emperor Qi Yuan.

Jingxiu presented her visiting card to the gate attendant. After a short while, the attendant came out and said respectfully to Jingxiu, "Madam Shen, Official Cai requests your presence."

Jingxiu, with Shen Xing, was led by the attendant into the academy. Passing through the gate corridor, they could faintly hear the clear, resonant sound of students reciting from within. Bypassing the main lecture hall, they reached the area where the teachers rested and prepared their lessons. The attendant led Jingxiu to a hall, stood at the entrance, and announced, "Official Cai, Madam Shen has arrived."

The large door slowly opened. A page boy inside said respectfully, "Madam Shen, please enter. Master Cai has been awaiting you for some time."

Jingxiu led Shen Xing into the room. A strong scent of books and scrolls greeted them. At the front of the room, aside from a few rosewood chairs for receiving guests, there were rows upon rows of bookshelves reaching the ceiling, filled with a vast assortment of books and classical texts.

Cai Lun, hearing the commotion, emerged from an inner room and walked slowly forward. He bowed courteously to Jingxiu. "My greetings to Madam Shen."

Jingxiu slowly returned a bow of her head. "May you have ten thousand blessings, Official Cai."

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

The two took their seats. Cai Lun looked at the young boy beside Jingxiu and asked directly, "Is this your younger brother?"

Jingxiu nodded. "Indeed, this is my humble younger brother. His name is Shen Xing." As she spoke, Jingxiu drew her brother forward. "Xing'er, come and pay your respects to Official Cai."

Shen Xing performed the ceremony of respect to a teacher properly for Cai Lun.

Cai Lun, seeing that despite his young age, the boy's demeanor was proper and steady, and his appearance refined and upright, took a liking to him. He said to Jingxiu with a smile, "Although I have not had much interaction with Official Shen, I have long heard that he is deeply learned and modest and amiable. Indeed, the child he has raised is also dignified and courteous."

Shen Xing replied properly, "Thank you for your praise, Sir."

Jingxiu added from the side, "He may seem proper, but he can be quite mischievous in daily life." As she spoke, Jingxiu bowed in thanks to Cai Lun. "I hope Official Cai will be strict in his teaching and guidance of my younger brother in the future."

Cai Lun replied, "Since it is a request from Boyue and yourself, I will naturally do my utmost." He then instructed the page boy beside him, "Take Shen Xing to the lecture hall."

Shen Xing bowed in thanks once more. Cai Lun said with a smile, "Today is your first day; first, get accustomed to the environment. But remember one thing: to study here, you must be able to endure hardship."

Shen Xing said, "This student will certainly remember the teacher's instruction."

After the page boy led Shen Xing away, Jingxiu took out the gift she had brought and presented it to Cai Lun. "This is a small token of regard from my husband and myself. Please accept it."

Cai Lun reached out, took it, and unrolled it. Seeing it was an authentic work by Yan Zhenqing, he said in astonishment, "This... wasn't this the reward Teacher Zhang gave Boyue back when we studied here together?" Mentioning the past, Cai Lun recounted, "Back when we were students, Boyue and I had the best scholarship. That year, the then Chancellor of the National University, the venerable Zhang Huaisheng, personally tested us on essay writing, using this very piece as the top prize."

Cai Lun smiled. "After over a hundred fellow students submitted their essays, Teacher Zhang reviewed them but only praised Boyue's essay. I still remember Teacher Zhang's words to this day: 'Although your essays are brilliantly written, they lack strength of character. Only Li Boyue's essay addresses the substance, and its literary style is magnificent and powerful.'"

Cai Lun shook his head. "I was unconvinced at the time. So Teacher Zhang brought Boyue's essay for me to read. After reading it, I was truly completely convinced."

Jingxiu modestly said on Li Ling's behalf, "That was probably because the topic set by Teacher Zhang that time happened to suit his train of thought. It was merely a stroke of luck on his part. Official Cai is the foremost great scholar under heaven. How could my humble husband's scholarship compare to yours?"

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

Cai Lun replied with a smile, "That's simply because I was born into a family of scholars, while the sons of the Zhenguo Duke Manor have served as military men for generations. If Boyue were not the heir and had not later joined the army,恐怕 (kǒng pà) I'm afraid the position of Chancellor of the National University wouldn't have fallen to me."

"Haha, he might have come to compete with me for this rice bowl."

(End of Chapter)

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Translator's Note: check out my other work— My Younger Sister Insisted On A Marriage Exchange Wanting To Make Me The Wife Of A Marquis and The Marquis’s Beloved is a Black-Hearted Lotus (⁠*⁠＾⁠3⁠＾⁠)⁠/⁠～⁠♡

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