Chen Kai gave a detailed introduction of the academy’s daily routines to his “cousin” who had traveled a long way: when the morning classes started, meal times, whether the Teachers were strict, and how heavy the coursework usually was.
These were all things that required little more than talking, and he poured out everything he knew without holding back.
Wu Ciyun silently took notes of everything Chen Kai said, then turned her head toward the unfamiliar youth beside him and asked curiously, “Is this senior student Xitong the one cousin mentioned before?”
Chen Kai responded casually with a yes, and Wu Ciyun immediately brightened up, leaning closer to chatter away, asking about Xitong’s hometown, age, and family.
The youth was clearly flustered by Wu Ciyun’s barrage of questions.
Seeing this, Chen Kai frowned slightly and tugged Wu Ciyun back, whispering, “Don’t embarrass yourself here. If there’s anything, we’ll talk about it later.”
“Most people in the academy come from prestigious families. Our background isn’t even worth a speck of dirt in front of theirs. When trouble arises, it’s best to endure quietly. This isn’t Nan’an. If you really get into trouble here, no one can protect you.”
He had long heard rumors that this cousin was unstudious, arrogant, and spoiled—already fond of gambling and drinking at a young age, the epitome of a wayward son.
While the Chen Family was among the wealthiest in Nan’an, in Liang Capital, they were barely even recognized commoners.
For Chen Yuanqing to study at the academy, just arranging the connections cost nearly half the family fortune—a true investment of blood and sweat.
Chen Kai didn’t much care about distant relatives’ fates, but since they were kin, if anything happened, he would inevitably be implicated.
Wu Ciyun nodded faintly, not fully understanding but keeping silent as Chen Kai advised.
Taking the opportunity, Xitong quietly observed her, then probed cautiously, “Did you come to the academy alone today? Didn’t anyone accompany you from Nan’an to Liang Capital?”
“My uncle came with others to see me off. He originally planned to stay in Liang Capital for a few days, but after hearing urgent news from home, he rushed back first.”
Wu Ciyun lowered her eyelashes, still shaken, “I never expected such a big incident would happen right after uncle left… a life lost just like that…”
“Did you say the person who was burned to death was your book attendant? Has the government sent a coroner to verify the cause?”
Xitong pressed, “If the inn was flooded, why are you unharmed?”
Wu Ciyun blinked, a bit slow to respond, then said seriously, “Because I ran fast, so I wasn’t caught by the fire.”
Xitong immediately countered, “You ran fast, so why didn’t you save your book attendant as well?”
At those words, not only did Wu Ciyun freeze, but even Chen Kai looked at Xitong with a strange expression, as if he had just uttered something scandalous.
“Brother Xitong, what’s gotten into you today?”
Chen Kai didn’t understand why Xitong was so upset.
A lord is a lord, a servant is a servant.
A loyal servant risking their life to save their master is commendable, but a master sacrificing themselves to save a servant is likely a fool.
It was just a book attendant—if dead, replace with another.
No different than swapping an inkstone or a Lake Brush.
Xitong sheepishly shut his mouth, explaining, “I was just a bit curious…”
Chen Kai paid it no mind and led Wu Ciyun to her lodgings, explaining, “Two people share one courtyard in the academy. There are four rooms inside; the two smaller ones are for servants.”
“The academy allows going home only on the fifteenth and sixteenth of each month. On normal days, unless there’s something urgent, no one can leave the mountain casually.”
Chen Kai’s tone grew a bit awkward, “I have a small residence in the Capital. If you need a place to stay temporarily, you can come with me.”
Though his words sounded generous, he was actually reluctant.
He did have a small house in the Capital, but it was secretly purchased to support his concubine.
Such a breach of propriety, if spread, would bring harsh scolding and punishment from family elders and the academy Teachers.
Wu Ciyun saw the expression on Chen Kai’s face clearly and shyly smiled, taking the chance to say, “Brother, I’ve already burdened you by coming to the academy. How could I dare trouble you further? I started learning late and can’t compare to you in reading and writing. I’ll just stay quietly in the academy to study.”
“Since you say that, I won’t force you.”
Chen Kai was clearly pleased with her answer.
He summoned his book attendant to help organize her belongings and warned, “Remember everything I said today. Don’t go out causing trouble.”
Just as Wu Ciyun nodded to agree, a commotion erupted outside.
Chen Kai was startled and quickly stepped out, asking fellow students passing by what had happened.
“It’s nothing. Just the little tyrant from the Duke Protector’s Mansion causing a fuss, demanding to leave. I heard he almost beat up a Teacher.”
The informant clicked his tongue and whispered, “If you ask me, it’s better he leaves. If he stays, who knows how much more trouble he’ll cause.”
The Duke Protector and Madam had only two children, and the eldest son was a stammering fool.
They indulged their second son, the sole heir, to the point of lawlessness.
Chen Kai wholeheartedly agreed.
Seeing Wu Ciyun timidly wandering the courtyard, he sighed, “Well, at least this cousin knows to keep his tail tucked in here. That’s something—wise enough to know his place.”
Wu Ciyun didn’t know why Chen Kai was smiling at her.
She stayed quiet, letting him observe her, doing her best to show no cracks.
Xitong’s gaze lingered on her intermittently.
Sensing this, Wu Ciyun suddenly turned around, catching him off guard.
Xitong instinctively looked away.
Curious about his odd behavior, she tilted her head and quietly asked, “Senior Xitong, is there something on my face?”
Xitong nodded and gently said, “Your face is a bit dirty.”
“All because of that cart we met on the road.”
Wu Ciyun grumbled, pulling a handkerchief from her sleeve and roughly wiping at her face, muttering, “No wonder the academy has those carts park so far away…”
If everyone was as annoying as that nuisance, coming to study would be a dusty mess. Someone unfamiliar might think she had been out planting rice in the fields.
Xitong looked surprised by her reaction, but Wu Ciyun seemed unaware.
Though her entry into the academy was fraught with setbacks, at least no major disasters had occurred.
She shared lodging with a pampered young master, who came with four book attendants to serve him.
Seeing his wealthy clothes, Wu Ciyun decisively moved her belongings into the most comfortable south-facing room.
The young master and his entourage swaggered over to make trouble, bluntly offering money.
“I want this room. Here’s fifty taels. Move out.”
Wu Ciyun remained unmoved and coldly said, “Who cares about your silver? I’m not moving.”
The young master sneered and said contemptuously, “One hundred taels. Will you move?”
“No.”
Wu Ciyun scoffed, defiant, “One hundred taels? Are you sending away a beggar?”
The young master was furious, raising his voice, “Two hundred taels! I want this room!”
Wu Ciyun sighed and pointed outside to a cluster of bamboo, calmly saying, “This isn’t about money. A gentleman cannot live without bamboo.”
The young master frowned and snarled, “Three hundred taels! If you don’t move, I’ll have my servants throw you out.”
Wu Ciyun stared at him in disbelief.
Outnumbered and helpless, she reluctantly accepted the three hundred tael Baiyinpiao amidst the young master’s triumphant laughter and hastily moved back to her original room.
She carefully felt the thin banknote in her hand and thought to herself, the money in the Capital really is easier to earn.
Put on a show for fifteen minutes, and easily earned three hundred taels.
Turns out the Capital isn’t full of clever people.
That night, Wu Ciyun hugged her bundle of belongings and slept soundly.
The next day, she got up early and secured an inconspicuous spot in the Study Hall.
Chen Kai had said that Master Zheng, who taught Zhisheng, was a great scholar of the era.
He was once personally appointed by the emperor to teach Prince Xun.
His character was strict and old-fashioned, and he valued rules above all.
Wu Ciyun, afraid of exposing any weakness, tried to keep a low profile and quietly stayed in her little corner.
Master Zheng asked the class, “What does ‘holding the phoenix knife, to open its feathers’ mean?”
The room fell silent; no one dared answer.
The young master who had tricked her out of three hundred taels sat beside her.
Maybe only now realizing he’d been fooled, he turned to Wu Ciyun and loudly said, “Teacher, Chen Yuanqing says he knows!”
Caught off guard, Wu Ciyun, though she had studied for two years as Chen Yuanqing’s book attendant, only knew the basics.
She hesitantly added, “To draw blood…”
Master Zheng sighed deeply, “Truly rotten wood uncarvable.”
Laughter erupted across the hall.
Wu Ciyun frowned, feeling the exquisite inkstone and soft Xuan paper before her were not nearly as precious.
A few students whispered behind her back, “Haven’t read many books, yet so arrogant. Should know your limits.”
“No wonder the Teacher said he’s rotten wood. He looks foolish. If I were him, I’d wish to hide in a hole.”
Wu Ciyun glanced back at them.
They raised eyebrows in challenge, but she said nothing.
That night, she hugged her books and read until dawn’s first light.
Her limited ink-stained knowledge might have fooled backwater villagers, but the academy was a different matter—she was truly blind.
But Wu Ciyun was not one to admit defeat easily.
This humiliation only strengthened her resolve to stand out.
When the Teacher lectured on classics, she didn’t understand.
So she buried her head in study.
When the Teacher taught the Six Arts, she had no clue.
So she worked twice as hard to learn.
When told her handwriting lacked spirit, she tied weights to her wrists and practiced day after day.
Chen Kai couldn’t fathom why his cousin was so diligent.
Occasionally, when speaking with Xitong, he’d muse, “It’s like a dumb tree blooming a flower.”
Wu Ciyun overheard but didn’t care.
Chen Yuanqing was the fool—but she was not.
She firmly believed she was a precious jade, just needing the right carving to shine.
She kept her efforts quiet, choosing to stay inconspicuous to avoid revealing her true identity.
By late spring, the Teacher called her rotten wood.
By midsummer, the Teacher sometimes praised her progress, no longer the same rotten wood.
In late autumn, she pretended her Zhisheng essays were purchased from others and secretly sold them to classmates, making a tidy profit.
The Chen Family had not sent word for over half a year.
Afraid of exposure, Wu Ciyun dared not send letters back.
The money she brought with her was running low, but she still had a bit left.
At first, Chen Kai still kept in touch with her, but as she shut out the outside world, their relationship gradually faded.
Until winter neared and Wu Ciyun planned to run away.
Just then, the usually indulgent and carefree Chen Kai hurried back.
“Yuanqing, something’s happened.”
Chen Kai’s face was pale; Xitong steadied him to keep from collapsing.
He looked at Wu Ciyun sympathetically and said, “The Chen Family suffered disaster—127 people, from top to bottom, all…”
Wu Ciyun instinctively clenched the pages in her hand.
She raised her head sharply and pressed, “What do you mean?”
“Yuanqing, you must stay strong. Actually, your parents passed away as early as April…”
Chen Kai tried to soften the blow, lowering his voice, “Your uncle embezzled the family estate and claimed they had moved to Liang Capital, publicly deceiving everyone. Later, somehow, he ran afoul of mountain bandits…”
He stopped there, sighing dryly, “The dead cannot be brought back. You must grieve properly.”
Wu Ciyun stood stunned, as if the thunderclap of those words hadn’t quite sunk in.
No wonder the Chen Family had been silent for so long.
To Chen Yuanqing, his parents were blood relatives.
To her, they were simply harsh masters who liked to mistreat their servants.
Wu Ciyun didn’t know how she should feel about losing parents and an entire family wiped out.
She just knew that nearly everyone who knew she wasn’t Chen Yuanqing was now dead.
She found herself unable to cry; a faint urge to laugh even bubbled up.