The next day was a bright, clear day. The eleventh month in the south was not as cold as in the north, and with the fine weather, the damp chill had also lifted.

But the hearts of the students leaving Wuzhou city were not warmed by the winter sun.

When they had entered the official school it was still a “prefectural school,” and by the time it became a “state school” there was no longer any place for them here. They had no other official school to compare it with, but from their own experience, wherever Zhù Ying was, the treatment was better. And she was a chief official who fought for the best possible conditions for “her own people.”

Zhù Ying went in person to the prefectural school, assembled the departing students, and said: “The new Xinnan administrator is already on his way. When you return home, review your studies well. A new prefecture just coming into existence will certainly be in need of people — go back early and make your preparations.”

The students’ spirits were very heavy. They all bowed deeply in salute. Some cried aloud. Zhù Ying’s voice was also very grave: “You are all still young — a bright future awaits you. Do not give up on yourselves. Here, bring these forward.”

The runners brought the money forward. Zhù Ying distributed it to them one share at a time: “We have been acquainted — work hard when you return. You are all classmates; when you return, you must look out for each other.” She had also arranged carriages for them — two carriages for the ten people, giving the scholars a degree of dignity. She also told them they could take time to say farewell to their fellow students, and the carriages would wait for them a while before departing.

She finally watched this group of students climb into the carriages at the school gate, then turned back inside to look in on the students. She had been either in the capital or in the mountains for quite some time and had not come to the school for a while. She reviewed the students’ work and chatted with them for a while. Watching the sun reach midday, she said: “Everyone go eat.”

She herself slowly strolled out of the state school.

After leaving the gate she did not mount her horse but walked slowly. Back at the residence, seeing the front offices had no urgent matters, she returned to the back quarters, changed her clothes, and the whole family had lunch together.

At this point the residence had quite a few people, and they ate in two groups. In the front courtyard were Xiao Wu, Qi Tai, Ding Gui, and the others. Zhù Ying sometimes ate there too. In the back courtyard, the four of the Zhù household dined together with Su Zhe, Zhù Yan, and Zhù Shi. It was not one large round table but individual settings. At the top were Zhù Ying and Huajie at one long table; to the left were Zhù Da and Zhang Xiangu; to the right was Su Zhe; Zhù Yan and Zhù Shi were below Zhù Da and Zhang Xiangu.

Su Zhe’s tastes differed somewhat from the Zhù household, and her attendant maid was also a good cook who often prepared extra dishes for her. Su Zhe’s attendants dined beside her on her lower side. Zhù Da used to enjoy Zhù Shi and would pass dishes from his own table to the child. Today, things were much as usual. The two groups of children still ignored each other. Partway through the meal, Zhù Da still wanted to add some meat and rice to Zhù Shi’s portion. Zhù Ying said: “Father, wait for him to finish what is in his bowl. Stone-boy, when your bowl is empty, help yourself.”

Zhù Da pulled his hand back and looked at Zhù Shi’s bowl and plate — there was still food remaining. He pulled back again. Huajie glanced at Zhù Ying; Zhang Xiangu quickly asked: “What were you busy with this morning?”

“Seeing the Hedong County students off.”

Huajie said: “So they are gone after all…”

“Yes.”

Zhang Xiangu also set her chopsticks down with a sigh: “My, the way things worked out.”

Zhù Da asked: “They truly could not stay?”

“They are Hedong County people. If I kept them, what right would I have? The new Xinnan administrator might not even be pleased that I kept good prospects from him.” She said this and then ate her meal in earnest.

Zhang Xiangu said: “To think they’ve been here studying for several years now, practically taught to completion by you.”

“It is fine — there will be more students.”

A few words said, Su Zhe and Zhù Yan both sensed the mood was a little odd and stopped glaring at each other. After eating, a short rest, and then afternoon class. In the mornings the five children reviewed their lessons and recited texts, with Hu Shijie supervising a little physical training. In the afternoons Zhù Ying gave them lessons. In the morning she was busy with official business at the yamen, and by afternoon the children’s attention was beginning to wander.

Today’s lesson was a passage from “Chu Long Persuades the Dowager Queen of Zhao.” Children tended to find the nuances of human relationships difficult to grasp. The attendant maid behaved herself somewhat better, not daring to act up too much. Zhù Shi was as restless as ever, squirming in his seat for a while before slumping over the desk and falling asleep. Su Zhe and Zhù Yan both listened attentively. Zhù Ying took note without saying anything and flicked several marbles at him.

She taught for a total of one and a half periods, split into two sessions with a rest in between. She had also noticed that keeping most small children focused for long stretches was nearly impossible.

Zhù Ying sighed inwardly.

After assigning homework and dismissing class, the children all bowed to her and filed out of the classroom.

Zhù Ying turned and walked to a courtyard nearby. Ding Gui said: “Since Young Master Gu left, it has been locked. I will go fetch the key.”

Ding Gui went to get the key and came back to find the lock was already open and Zhù Ying was standing in the small courtyard where Gu Tong had previously lived. Ding Gui said in surprise: “My lord had a key all along!”

Zhù Ying said: “Find some time to clean this place up.”

“Yes.” Ding Gui then asked: “Is Young Master Gu coming back? His things were all taken when he left — shall I replenish them?”

Zhù Ying said: “He has just taken up his post and is busy — he won’t be back. Fill out the main room and the side rooms — each should have a bed, a cabinet, a table, and chairs.”

“Yes. Are bamboo furnishings still alright? I don’t know who the new occupants will be — how should I prepare?”

Zhù Ying said: “Several students.”

“Yes.”

Zhù Ying left the small courtyard where Gu Tong had lived and went back to the back quarters. Su Zhe had already returned to her room to do her homework. Zhù Ying glanced in without going in to disturb her. She then went to Zhang Xiangu’s courtyard, but outside the entrance she encountered Huajie. Huajie said: “Let’s talk?”

Zhù Ying followed her into her room. Huajie poured her a cup of hot tea: “Are you still worried about the Hedong County students?”

Zhù Ying said: “Each person has their own road to walk. They are going home — it is not as though they are being sent to the frontier or into exile.”

“Oh? Then —”

Zhù Ying pointed toward the direction of Zhang Xiangu’s courtyard behind her.

Huajie said: “How are you planning to handle things? Forgive me for saying this — the longer it is left, the worse it is for everyone. The children are good children, but if it drags on too long, they will not be able to make sense of it.”

Zhù Ying said: “Because of a passing notion, to suddenly turn your face on people and cast them out — that is not right. I need to look more carefully at the children and make a proper arrangement for them. I was not thinking it through when I first decided.”

Huajie said: “How can that be blamed on you? Leaving them in Sicheng County to be beaten up by other children every day? Taking them in and then this issue comes up…”

“The stone-boy is not malicious at heart — he is just slow to understand things. Explain the real principle to him and sometimes even then he cannot take it in; you have to get it right through to him. The hammer-boy is clever, and the cleverer a person, the more he overthinks. The fact that he will not abandon the stone-boy shows his nature is sound, but he has still not fully understood.”

“Oh?”

“Think about where they come from.”

“Are they not both from the Huang family’s household servants?”

Zhù Ying shook her head: “The hammer-boy’s parents both died early. The stone-boy’s parents raised him for two years, then also died, and the two of them were old enough to be used as small odd-job servants and just muddled along. He lived in the stone-boy’s household as a dependent. This stone-boy… with parents protecting him for longer, he feels more secure — but may also have a naturally slower disposition. Then he ends up in father’s hands, and father sees the child is entertaining and protects him, plays with him. If this goes on any longer, the child will be ruined. Father has also done wrong here — they need to be separated.”

Huajie thought carefully and agreed that it was so, saying: “You notice things so keenly.” She had been about to say “spoiled by elders,” but remembering that Zhù Shi was not Zhù Ying’s child, she left it unsaid.

“If I truly had noticed it more keenly, I would have spotted the signs earlier. This was my negligence. It is a serious matter.” She herself had not had an easy childhood, and so after taking in the two children she could not help but be somewhat lenient, and had never thought to consider the worst possible outcome for the two small boys. Zhù Da doted on Zhù Shi and she had not interfered. Thinking about it now, if she were the enemy, she could think of at least eight ways to stir up trouble in such a situation.

Huajie said with self-reproach: “I also… seeing little sister had helpers at her side, and all three of them fighting and quarreling like that, I also felt sorry for them not having parents.”

Zhù Ying said: “Let us spare ourselves the business of bowing to each other and assigning blame.”

“So what do you plan to do?”

“I told Ding Gui to clean out the place where Gu Tong used to live, and have them moved over there first…”

She was still speaking when from the back courtyard came Zhù Shi’s wail: “Please spare me! I just cannot do it!”

Huajie said: “He has gotten stuck on his homework again — the hammer-boy is telling him to do his work and he is…”

“His lessons are being taught by me, and I know full well how he has been learning. This is my failure to manage him properly.” Zhù Ying said.

She had occasionally heard this kind of wailing from Zhù Shi before but had paid it no attention. Children who refused to study and rolled on the floor throwing tantrums — she had seen plenty of them, peering through the windows of the private school in Zhu Village. Zhù Shi’s aptitude for learning was extremely ordinary. Zhù Ying herself had a thousand matters to attend to and had more or less given up on making him into a scholar, someone to manage the accounts, or someone to study the legal code. Some people simply were not born for reading. Let him learn a few more characters and try him in martial arts.

Huajie was about to speak further when Zhù Ying said: “Let us go look.”

The two walked quietly into Zhang Xiangu’s courtyard without going inside, watching from without. The room had two desks, one per person. One desk already had books and papers spread open; the other had books lying askew at the edges.

Both Zhù Yan and Zhù Shi were standing there. Zhù Yan said: “Stone-boy, don’t go out and play yet. How can you learn if you keep getting hit with marbles in class and don’t put in the effort afterward?”

“Getting hit is getting hit. I just can’t learn!” Zhù Shi said with a slightly tearful tone.

Zhù Yan said: “Getting hit with marbles for nothing — isn’t that a waste? Come here. If you don’t understand, I will teach you again.”

Zhù Shi shook his head: “Looking at those characters makes my head ache. Let me play for a while and then write — if grandfather gives me money, I’ll give it all to you.”

Zhù Yan said: “Don’t talk nonsense! Come and do your homework!”

He was inwardly anxious. He was indeed saving money. In the Zhù household, he received a small amount of spending money, but not nearly as generously as Zhù Da gave to Zhù Shi. Zhù Shi’s homework was always behind. Falling a little behind at first and pushing hard could still catch up; now it had reached the point of almost being unable to catch up. Zhù Yan was more anxious about it than Zhù Shi himself. Memorizing texts was manageable, but in arithmetic class, if the addition and subtraction of ten numbers could not be learned, the addition and subtraction within one hundred would be ruined, to say nothing of multiplication and division.

This will not do! Must push him to write his homework right away! If he keeps stalling, the old master will come in and make trouble, and shield him and say “let’s rest a little while first.”

Zhù Ying and Huajie watched these two children. Zhù Shi sat down on the floor and began to fake-cry. The sight was somewhat familiar — just two days ago, in Zhù Family Manor, Zhù Da had used exactly this maneuver on everyone. Looking again at Zhù Shi now, the resemblance to Zhù Da was striking.

Zhù Yan pulled at one of Zhù Shi’s arms, trying to haul him up. Zhù Shi had half his body on the floor and one hand propping himself up, the other hand being pulled by Zhù Yan, wriggling and twisting.

On other days, around this time someone would typically come and intervene — usually Zhù Da, occasionally Zhang Xiangu. Today there was none of that. Both of them spotted Zhù Ying standing in the courtyard; she made a gesture, and they sat in the main room, not daring to come out.

Inside the scene had progressed to: “Get up quick, your clothes are all dirty from rolling on the ground.”

“So what if they’re dirty — someone will wash them.”

Huajie saw Zhù Ying’s expression darken to something very frightening. She raised a hand to touch Zhù Ying’s arm. In an instant, Zhù Ying’s expression returned to calm. Zhù Ying stepped into the old couple’s room, Huajie following closely. Entering the room, Zhang Xiangu asked: “What are you…”

Zhù Da was also a little tense: “How are you going to handle it?”

Zhù Ying said: “Have you been giving them money? How much? Do you know how they spend it?”

Zhù Da opened and closed his mouth.

Zhù Ying also asked: “Have you sat on the floor and thrown a tantrum in front of them?”

Zhù Da said: “That would never happen!”

“Then who taught him to do it?”

Zhù Da, old master that he was and normally very mindful of his dignity in public, had been known to lose all sense of propriety at home. Caught out by his daughter, he fell silent.

Zhù Ying continued: “He rolls around on the floor — and then you have clean clothes ready for him? Who washes them? Jiang the Widow? Now who is it? Jiang Niangzi? Who told him that clothes can be dirtied without worry, because someone will always wash them?”

Zhù Da was beginning to feel his head spin. Zhang Xiangu dimly recalled that at the very beginning, Zhù Shi had been racing around the courtyard with Zhù Yan, fallen down, and torn his clothes. The child had been terrified. Zhù Da said: “Never mind — if it tears, we patch it.” Whether it was ever patched she no longer remembered, but the child was growing fast and by the following season there would be new clothes anyway.

Zhang Xiangu poked a finger against Zhù Da’s forehead: “All your spoiling!”

“You are the one who said they were pitiable!”

Zhù Ying said: “Enough — I was not minding them properly before, and this is on me. From now on, no interference from either of you. If I am here managing the children, and someone from behind keeps saying ‘Oh, please be patient with him, the child has no parents, such a pity’ — then I will not manage them anymore.”

Zhù Da immediately said: “You manage them — I will stay out of it.”

Zhù Ying said: “What kind of people are they? Does that give them the right not to put in effort? Other people’s children have fathers and grandfathers to shelter under. What does he have? What does he deserve? Not making them put in effort — will you provide for them? With what?”

Zhù Da said in rapid succession: “Make them work hard, make them work hard.”

Some of the words that followed were more than a little harsh. But there was a vein of truth in them.

The scene between parent and child was also reaching its conclusion on the far side.

The one who came in today was Jiang the Widow. She was evidently accustomed to this sort of scene, walked in and tugged at Zhù Shi: “Come now, little ancestor, get up quickly! Look at your clothes — why are they all dirty again? Come, let us change them!”

Zhù Ying had already come out of the main room, Zhù Da, Zhang Xiangu, and Huajie standing behind her. Huajie’s heart was in her throat, for she had already guessed a little of what was coming. Zhù Ying’s mood was genuinely not pleasant — so all those times Zhù Shi had appeared perfectly clean before her, it had come to this?

Jiang the Widow fished a clean change of clothes out of the wardrobe, dressing Zhù Shi as she spoke: “All this dirt.” She picked up the dirty clothes, ready to take them away. She walked out and came face to face with Zhù Ying: “My lord.”

“Washing clothes?”

“Yes.”

Zhù Shi and Zhù Yan both stepped forward and greeted her properly: “My lord.”

Zhù Ying asked Jiang the Widow: “You are still washing clothes in the back?”

“Yes… yes… yes.”

“Then let us go — come and look together.”

Jiang the Widow’s washing place was in the back of the residence. The back courtyard had a small garden. No one in the Zhù household had much in the way of leisure pursuits, and the garden was now half abandoned. But for watering plants there had been a water source and drainage channels, and Jiang the Widow used these to wash clothes. The flower-keeper’s small shed had become her tool storage.

The small garden had a few drying racks set up for hanging clothes.

Jiang the Widow was anxious at heart, her hands and feet clumsy as she drew water, soaked the clothes, rinsed away the surface dirt, changed to fresh water, rubbed in saponin bean paste, and spread the garment on a flat stone and beat it. From time to time she splashed a little water onto the clothes and breathed on her hands before continuing to beat. The weather was cold.

Zhù Yan’s heart was beating faster now. He glanced at Zhù Shi and saw that Zhù Shi was watching Jiang the Widow wash clothes with perfect curiosity.

Zhù Ying said: “That is enough — stop for a moment.”

No one knew what she was about to do. The half-abandoned small garden was completely silent. Zhù Ying suddenly asked the two children: “Do you still remember the Huang family?”

Zhù Yan’s face went white. Zhù Shi also became uneasy and said quietly: “A little…”

Zhù Shi’s memories of the Huang family had already grown hazy; Zhù Yan still remembered more clearly. Zhù Ying asked: “Were they good people?”

Both shook their heads forcefully.

Zhù Ying asked: “In what way were they not good?”

Zhù Yan said: “Domineering and tyrannical — they did not treat people as people.” Zhù Shi also nodded: “They always made people work! And they beat people. Would not give them good food. Made people get up before dawn to work.”

Zhù Ying said: “Jiang Niangzi, hold up your hands.”

It was already winter. This winter might be warm, but it was still a winter cold enough to grow overwintering wheat. Her hands had been soaking in cold water for half a day and were now red and swollen.

Zhù Ying, in a very gentle tone, said to Zhù Shi: “She is washing your clothes.”

Zhù Shi nodded.

Zhù Ying said: “Why did they get dirty?”

Zhù Shi’s face reddened. He was too embarrassed to say he had been rolling on the floor throwing a tantrum.

Zhù Ying asked: “Is it cold in winter?”

Zhù Shi nodded.

“Is winter water cold?”

Zhù Shi nodded again.

Zhù Ying said: “Jiang Niangzi, you may get up. The wages I pay you cover washing everyone’s properly worn-dirty clothes. For the three winter months, washing clothes in cold water — starting this winter, an extra one hundred copper coins per month.”

Jiang the Widow was nervous, wanting to say she was not tired and could wash the child’s extra clothes perfectly well. She had just opened her mouth when she saw Huajie behind Zhù Ying waving at her to stop. Jiang the Widow said nothing more. Having extra wages was a fine thing.

Zhù Ying then said to Zhù Shi: “Jiang Niangzi did not need to be washing clothes in cold water today. Your rolling on the floor and getting your clothes dirty is what made Jiang Niangzi work extra. Jiang Niangzi is a person just like you and me. Making her do extra work for nothing is taking advantage of her — it is bullying. You are also a child from a poor family — not bullying poor people is your basic obligation, not a sign of your moral character. Think more about the people who have to work. Do not become like the Huang family.”

“Indeed, one must not forget where one came from.” Zhù Da added a line.

Zhù Ying looked at him, made a gesture. Huajie and Zhang Xiangu led him away together. Zhang Xiangu said as she walked: “You old fool! Is that not something he learned from you! Don’t you dare do it again! Next time I will make you wash your own clothes!”

Zhù Ying said to Zhù Shi: “Throwing tantrums is fine — but dirty clothes, wash them yourself. Come, wash.”

Zhù Shi carefully stepped forward; the moment his hand touched the clothes he recoiled from the cold. He had not thought about “cold water in winter” when he sat down on the floor throwing his tantrum. Now that he was being made to wash, he slowly understood what “cold water in winter” meant.

Zhù Yan stepped forward, wanting to help. Zhù Ying said: “Is your homework done?”

Zhù Yan said quietly: “Not quite yet.”

“It seems it was not enough work to begin with. Copy today’s lesson ten times.”

Zhù Yan said: “Yes.”

Zhù Ying watched Zhù Shi wash the clothes and hang them up. His hands were also bright red from the cold. She patted his head and said: “Go back — it is time for dinner.” She also told Jiang the Widow not to redo his work — whatever he had managed, he would wear it.

At dinner, Zhù Shi cupped his bowl in his hands. The warmth of the steaming bowl slowly spread through his hands and they gradually thawed. Only then could he begin to eat big spoonfuls of rice.

Zhù Da and Zhang Xiangu both stole glances at Zhù Ying, not daring to say anything. Su Zhe sensed the strange atmosphere and asked quietly: “Are you still thinking about the students, godfather?”

Zhù Ying said: “Yes. The stone-boy from the Talang family, A’Fa, will be coming to study soon, and several others from other settlements — your classmates will be increasing.”

Su Zhe’s eyes widened: “Will they also study here?”

Zhù Ying said: “I am afraid there may not be enough room, and you will all have to move to a different classroom.”

Su Zhe asked with interest: “Move to where?”

Zhù Ying said: “The smaller classroom of the barbarian school — how does that sound?”

Su Zhe asked: “What is it like?”

Zhù Ying said: “Let us go see it together tomorrow.”

“Good!”

“Eat your dinner.”

After dinner, Zhù Shi no longer needed to be nagged. He dutifully sat down with Zhù Yan under the candlelight to write his homework. He was a little curious and asked Zhù Yan: “Is your homework not done already?”

Zhù Yan gave him a look and said: “I am keeping you company. Hurry up.”

“Oh… oh… Hammer-boy, I just cannot learn this. What can I do?”

Zhù Yan did not know what to do either. The two children worried together.

By midnight, Zhang Xiangu came to tell them to sleep, and only then did they blow out the lamp.

First thing the next morning, Zhù Ying went to the yamen to handle business. The children sat in the study reviewing their lessons, and Zhù Yan was still copying out his text. Suddenly there were sounds of commotion outside. The attendant maid, being closest to the window, poked her head out to look. Su Zhe asked: “What is happening again?”

“Uncle Ding is moving furniture.”

Ding Gui was carrying out Zhù Ying’s order to tidy up the rooms. After a busy session, he looked up to see a row of children’s heads perched along the window ledge watching him. He smiled and greeted them: “Young miss, young masters, what are you looking at?”

Su Zhe asked: “What are you busy with?”

Ding Gui said: “My lord has asked me to clean up Young Master Gu’s rooms!”

“Is someone coming? Is it the stone-boy from the Talang family, A’Fa?”

“That I cannot say — my lord said it is a student, so it probably is.”

Su Zhe’s curiosity was satisfied. She pulled her head back in and returned to reviewing her lessons. Zhù Yan also tugged at Zhù Shi; the two sat back down behind the desks. Zhù Shi still could not focus on his reading. Zhù Yan was also fretting — the two had come to the Zhù household together and studied together. Zhù Shi truly could not make headway with reading. He himself desperately wanted to stay here and keep studying! But Zhù Shi was falling further and further behind, and new characters were sticking slower and slower; even texts that had been memorized were not fully retained. It was impossible to hold the lessons back for one person. Zhù Shi would only keep falling behind, and Zhù Yan was very troubled.

In the afternoon, Zhù Ying came and continued lecturing on yesterday’s lesson. When the lesson ended, she let the children go. Su Zhe took the opportunity to ask: “Godfather, are you going to have A’Fa move in as well?”

“Hmm?”

“This morning we all saw the cleaning — in the courtyard.”

Zhù Ying said: “I have my arrangements. Go write your homework.”

“Oh.”

Su Zhe left. Zhù Shi also did not want to stay in the study. Zhù Yan hesitated briefly and stayed. He had always been an observant child, and used to drag Zhù Shi along to help Zhù Ying with small tasks. Later, when Zhù Shi had become attached to Zhù Da, he would often come alone to help. Sometimes Ding Gui and the others would tease him: “Why are you taking our work away?” With more people around Zhù Ying now, there was gradually less he could do.

Today he came to help again, and Zhù Ying saw him and asked: “Is your homework done?”

Zhù Yan said quietly: “Not yet. My lord, there is something…”

“Yes?”

“Stone-boy is not intentionally bad — he is just slow to understand.”

Zhù Ying rose and walked slowly out. Zhù Yan followed behind. The two made their way to Zhang Xiangu’s small courtyard. Zhù Ying entered the room where they lived. Zhù Shi was bouncing about in the side room, muttering to himself. He had just gone to find Zhù Da, and Zhù Da had said: “Go write your homework.”

This was simply not something grandfather would ever say!

Zhù Shi was dumbfounded. He went back to the side room; having nothing to do, he found his own entertainment. When Zhù Ying arrived, he immediately stood quietly to one side. Zhù Ying came in and sat down: “Both of you sit.”

The two carefully sat down. Zhù Ying pointed toward the main room and asked: “Rolling on the floor and throwing a tantrum — is that something you saw… someone else do?”

Zhù Shi nodded.

She asked them a few more questions about the details of daily life, then said: “Jiang Niangzi!”

Jiang the Widow came hurrying over. Zhù Ying said: “Pack their things for them — they are moving to where Gu Tong used to live.”

Jiang the Widow gave a start: “Moving now?”

Zhù Ying said: “Right now. And do not worry about learning bad habits here and doing bad things here. The two of you — do you want to share a room or live in separate rooms?”

Zhù Yan hesitated for a moment. Zhù Shi answered without hesitation: “We will live together!”

Zhù Ying said: “Fine. Move.”

That evening, Zhù Yan and Zhù Shi moved to the place where Gu Tong had previously lived. Zhù Shi wanted them both in one room, and Zhù Ying let them keep the side room setup. Xiao Wu, Qi Tai’s daughter, and the others all came to see what was happening. Xiao Wu, who was quick with words, asked: “Oh goodness — stone-boy and hammer-boy are moving in and becoming my neighbors!”

Zhù Ying said: “Is that a problem?”

“Not at all.”

“If it is a problem, it makes no difference,” Zhù Ying said. “Growing boys — still living in the inner quarters is not proper. There are women in the household.”

Qi Tai’s daughter said: “That is true — they are getting bigger every year. With female members of the household here, moving out earlier is better.”

Very quickly the move was complete. Xiao Wu felt something was a little off — did this mean the two boys would have no one to look after them? He was about to volunteer himself, then thought: Zhù Ying is not a careless person. He swallowed the words back. Seeing his cousin Ding Gui was about to crack a joke, he shot Ding Gui a look. Then said himself: “So now we are neighbors — I still have some snacks I brought from the street earlier. Come, have some to welcome you to the new place.”

They didn’t know about the “washing clothes” incident, but the move from the inner quarters to Gu Tong’s courtyard was still a little odd.

Xiao Wu brought snacks to the courtyard, went in and looked — the two of them were still in the side room, apparently. Having gone back and forth eight times in his head over what was going on, he ate snacks with the two children. Then he encouraged Zhù Yan: “You are both men now — you must work hard at your studies! The young master Gu who used to live here, you both know him — he has risen to become a county deputy magistrate!”

A grown man talking to two children did not have too much to say. He left all the snacks for the two of them, dragged his cousin along, and went back to his own room to gossip.

Zhù Yan and Zhù Shi slept a little uneasily that first night. Before, in Zhang Xiangu’s place, there would occasionally be someone coming to check on them in the evening. Zhù Da would bring them food and toys to bait Zhù Shi; Zhang Xiangu and Jiang the Widow would sometimes bring hot tea and hot water. In this side room, Zhù Da was not to come anymore; the hot water before bed was brought by Jiang the Widow. And after that, nothing else.

From that time on, they lived in the side rooms of the courtyard where Gu Tong had previously lived.

The next morning they got up, and Ding Gui and the others had wash water ready for them. Xiao Wu also invited the two of them to breakfast. After eating, Xiao Wu rushed off to the front yamen. Qi Tai’s daughter said: “You two have class now, don’t you?”

The two arrived in the study. Su Zhe and the others had already arrived. There was still not much more warmth between them. But Su Zhe was rather curious — so the ones moving had been them? My lord’s students? Was the godfather going to have them serve as officials, the same as Uncle Gu? She pondered what this might mean and surprisingly did not start a quarrel with them. Zhù Shi remained oblivious, going along with whatever was asked. Not being able to play with Zhù Da anymore, he was deeply at a loss. He thought: grandfather is still the kindest to me. My lord is truly formidable.

Only Zhù Yan seemed to understand something, and yet was also somewhat confused. He bent his head and continued copying out the last repetition of his homework text.

The two children did not know that their move had set several people wondering.

Xiao Wu and the others were already suspecting: this was going to be a defining of their status. Giving them the surname earlier had been common enough — people in the capital with some means who picked up an orphan from young and raised them as a loyal servant, that sort of thing. But watching how Zhù Da and Zhang Xiangu raised them, that did not quite seem right either. Seeing this today — it was probably something like Gu Tong’s situation.

Xiao Wu’s mind raced, but his hands did not falter. He pulled a few documents from the pile and brought them with Commissioner Peng to the signing room to present to Zhù Ying: “My lord, the barbarian school construction is finished. The accounts are here.” Commissioner Peng also brought his own paperwork: “Materials and labor used — as detailed here.”

Zhù Ying reviewed both. The barbarian school and the state school were not adjacent. The state school students were the original prefectural school students, from families who could afford to educate their children, mostly not in poverty. The area around the state school was fairly lively, and demolishing things there would not be cost-effective. The barbarian school had been built at a newly chosen site within the city, comparable in scale to the state school, with classrooms, dormitories, and so on.

Zhù Ying asked: “And the people selected to live here?”

Xiao Wu quickly said: “All settled — some were given alternative land to build on, some were given money to buy a house.”

Zhù Ying said: “Well done.” She picked up her brush and marked her approval stamp.

The two of them took the documents to be filed. Zhù Ying said to Xiao Liu: “Go and invite Chou Wen, Su Deng, and Zhu Zi to come over.”

Xiao Liu went out and immediately ran into a familiar face — a courier had arrived from the postal relay station again.

This time the courier carried a somewhat larger parcel. Upon entering, he said: “My lord, today’s gazette, along with a Personnel Ministry dispatch and the credentials and official seals.”

Niu Jin accepted it, giving Xiao Liu a push: “You go — I’ll handle this.”

He brought a stack of items over, placing the official documents in one pile and the physical items in another. Zhù Ying opened the Personnel Ministry dispatch and smiled — Xiao Jiang’s credentials had arrived. Written clearly on them was the name “Jiang Teng.” The ancestors’ records, just like Huajie’s, had all been freshly invented.

Zhù Ying opened the gazette next. Finding nothing of great importance stated therein, she said to the courier: “Understood.” The courier then handed over a signed form — he had delivered the credentials and official seals, and the Prefect’s residence needed to sign and stamp it.

Zhù Ying signed. The courier had not seen the person being appointed to office, and thought: what a pity — no lucky money to collect for this.

Zhù Ying said: “You are like a magpie!” She pulled open a drawer and grabbed a handful of coins.

The courier beamed: “Thank you, my lord! May my lord’s career rise to ever greater heights!”

Zhù Ying said: “This is already rising to great heights? What would happen if there were even more?”

“Ten thousand generations as a duke and marquis,” the courier blurted out.

Niu Jin said: “You had better get back — if you chat any longer, your postal relay master will be pulling your ears again.” He guided the courier out the door.

Coming back, he heard Zhù Ying say to Hu Shijie: “Please go call Xiao Jiang over.”

At the time, Xiao Jiang was at home carefully copying out some scattered notes she had written before. Hearing Hu Shijie’s words, she said: “Looking for me? What is the matter?”

Hu Shijie only smiled without answering.

Xiao Jiang’s heart was uneasy. She followed Hu Shijie, and the walk to the Prefect’s residence felt strangely off the whole way. She entered the Prefect’s residence, went into the signing room, and saw Zhù Ying push a pile of things on the table toward her: “These are yours now.”

Xiao Jiang looked at the shape of the pile and had some inkling of what it might be. She walked forward on unsteady feet, uncertain how she had arrived at the table, and with trembling hands reached out — unsure which to pick up first. Both hands hovered in midair, feeling about at nothing, then one hand took up the seal with effort while the other hand helped the right hand lift the credentials.

Written clearly on them was her name — Jiang Teng!

She stood where she was, not knowing what to do.

Zhù Ying said: “All right, take them home. Xiao Liu, in a moment take her to collect this year’s salary, and go to Xiao Wu to draw money and cloth for making an official outfit. You know where the tailor’s shop is, yes? Well?”

Xiao Jiang suddenly came back to herself: “Yes!”

Zhù Ying felt that if Xiao Jiang said even one more word she would burst into tears. She waved a hand: “Later you also need to register a waist token — turn in your old one. Tomorrow morning, report for duty on time!” She sent the person away.

Commissioner Peng came rushing back, and Zhù Ying looked at him. Commissioner Peng said: “My lord, this official checked — the prefecture’s accounts show no one who knows woodblock printing. Copyists can be found, several of them — how about copying by hand?”

Zhù Ying said: “How many years would that take? No good — then we will have to go up…” Previously, what Nanfu Prefecture had lacked would be sourced from the prefectural city. Now the prefectural city meant going to see Bian Xing.

She quickly changed tack: “Search a bit further north! The culture is more advanced up there — there may be people who engrave and print Buddhist sutras and the like.”

Commissioner Peng said: “My lord’s meaning is?”

“Further north the culture is more flourishing. There may well be woodblock carvers there.”

“Yes.”