Chapter 29: Strict Teacher, Promising Pupil

The first class of the afternoon was for reviewing and reciting the classics expounded that morning; anything one couldn't figure out, one could ask the teacher.

The schoolchildren wagged their heads, looking as if they were earnestly reciting, but in truth they were seizing the chance to chat and play.

Pang Chunlai paced back and forth leaning on his cane, squinting with his nearsighted eyes to observe the situation. He came before Zhao Han, suddenly bent down and drew his head close, scrutinized him for a long while, and asked, "Newly arrived?"

"Newly arrived," Zhao Han answered.

Pang Chunlai saw that the desk was completely bare and asked again, "Where are your books, brush, and ink?"

Zhao Han said, "I have not yet gone to collect them."

"A schoolchild without books, brush, and ink is like a farmer without a hoe, like a soldier without sword and blade," Pang Chunlai fumed, his beard bristling and eyes glaring, and he scolded, "Go and collect them at once!"

"The teacher's instruction is correct," Zhao Han said immediately.

Fei Ruhe also stood up: "Teacher, I will help him collect them."

"Sit down. Has he no legs of his own?" Pang Chunlai had no good impression of Fei Ruhe.

"Oh." Fei Ruhe sat back down, wagging his head as he recited, but in his heart he was thinking of the gourd baby.

Zhao Han soon arrived at the library; the books here were all shallow and simple, the truly good books having already been moved to Hanzhu Academy.

"Teacher, I am a newly arrived schoolchild and wish to collect books, brush, and ink."

"Your school token?"

Zhao Han took out his student identification.

The person before him was a young man, most likely of Fei clan household slave origin, temporarily serving as a school janitor at the private school. If he passed an assessment, he could be promoted to teaching assistant, specially explaining introductory learning (pre-school curriculum) to the children.

The janitor glanced at Zhao Han's school token, then brought out a set of the four treasures of the study, and also gave him the Four Books textbook and a small amount of rough paper.

Modeled on the regulations of official schools, Hanzhu Private School also had two kinds of students.

One kind were regular students, who had paid their full tuition and enjoyed the complete set of benefits.

The other kind were affiliated students, who attended lectures for free, and that was all.

Among the regular students, there was a further division between children of the main clan and children of outside surnames. Schoolchildren of the Fei main clan could receive study supplies for free and could board and eat at the school for free.

The book attendant Fei Chun and the impoverished student Xu Ying both belonged to the affiliated students who audited the lessons.

Yet the school token in Zhao Han's hand was the same as that of the Fei main clan children — this was an extremely special honors-student treatment!

If the impoverished student Xu Ying could successfully pass the child student examination and also obtain a teacher's recommendation, he too could transfer from affiliated student to regular student, and receive the preferential treatment Zhao Han was enjoying at this moment. By that time, Xu Ying would board and eat for free at Hanzhu Academy, and receive a fixed amount of ink sticks and rough paper each month.

The janitor tapped the register: "Once you've checked everything, sign."

Zhao Han carefully compared the list of items, signed, and said, "Many thanks, teacher."

The janitor glanced at Zhao Han's surname, put away the register, and said, "It is not easy to obtain the Fei clan's support. You must study diligently."

"The student will bear it in mind." Zhao Han packed up the things and took them away.

His present status was somewhat akin to "Schrödinger's cat."

The hired laborer position had fallen through, and he had been compelled to sign an adoption contract, nominally becoming Fei Yinghuan's adopted son.

However, this adoption contract had, as was customary, not been reported to the government office. His and his little sister's household registrations were neither in the Fei clan's main household register nor in its supplementary household register.

This phenomenon was extremely widespread, and its nature was utterly pernicious — namely, concealed population taking shelter under the gentry great clans!

Should an incident occur one day, the Fei clan could immediately produce the contract and rush to the government office to report it, bringing the adoptive relationship under legal protection — thus they could avoid paying taxes to the government while also being able to stop a household slave from rebelling at any moment.

The imperial court was no fool either; during the Wanli years it specifically issued a document stipulating that adopted sons (household slaves) whose adoption (effective) period was short were uniformly defined according to hired laborer status, thereby preventing great clans from concealing population for long periods.

But the law was dead, and the local officials were alive — it had become entirely a dead letter.

If Zhao Han performed especially outstandingly, Fei Yinghuan could maneuver to let him take the civil examinations as an adopted son. His name would certainly have to be changed to Fei Han, otherwise his identity would not be recognized by the examiners. But after passing the juren or jinshi examinations, his name could be changed back, and he could serve as an official as a "family friend's son," integrating into the Fei clan's social network.

For Zhao Han, and for the Fei clan, it was a deal that cost neither side anything.

Unfortunately, Zhao Han had never considered taking the examination path; he was merely stalling for time until he grew up.

Carrying his books, brush, and ink back to the classroom, Zhao Han had just settled into his seat when Pang Chunlai called him over for a talking-to.

"Name," Pang Chunlai said.

Zhao Han answered, "Zhao Han — 'Han' as in vast."

Since his surname was not Fei, yet he could receive books, he was an honors student sponsored by the Fei clan.

Pang Chunlai took him a bit more seriously, his expression turning kindly, and asked, "How far have you gotten in the Four Books?"

Zhao Han answered, "I have read them in a cursory fashion, and can recite only a few passages."

Pang Chunlai admonished, "Reading without seeking deep understanding — that is something for after one's studies are accomplished. It is like a hundred-foot tower: you must lay the foundation well, otherwise it will be a castle in the air, flowers in a mirror or the moon in the water. For the schoolchildren below the hall, I have already taught up to the Analects. You must hurry and make up the Great Learning, so that you can keep up with the lessons."

"The teacher's instruction is correct," Zhao Han said.

Pang Chunlai said, "While the schoolchildren below the hall are reciting, I will expound the meaning of the Great Learning to you. Go fetch your textbook."

This was a private supplementary lesson — it seemed he was a good teacher.

Zhao Han fetched his textbook.

Pang Chunlai asked, "Can you read it aloud?"

"I can," Zhao Han said.

Pang Chunlai said, "Read out the first few sections."

Zhao Han immediately held the book and read aloud: "The Way of the Great Learning lies in making bright virtue brilliant, in renewing the people, in resting in the highest good..."

After he had read a few sections, Pang Chunlai suddenly stopped him and asked, "Do you know what it means?"

Zhao Han stole a glance at Zhu Xi's commentary, thought for a moment, and answered, "The Great Learning is the learning of the great man. What is a great man? One who washes away acquired ignorance and understands innate principle. To understand principle, one must constantly renew oneself, wash away old stains and filth, eliminate one's own bad habits, so as to reach the realm of true perfection and the highest good..."

"Though your explanation is not thoroughly penetrating, it contains no great error," Pang Chunlai was very satisfied with Zhao Han, and said, "The 'great' of the Great Learning, in ancient pronunciation, was 'tai' — the Great Learning is the Supreme Learning. Making bright virtue brilliant is the foundation; renewing the people is the method. The School of Mind lineage, ever since Lord Yangming, has had a different interpretation of 'renewing the people,' but you need not concern yourself with that now. As for resting in the highest good, it does not mean that the highest good is the endpoint; the highest good is only a beginning. You must go and do, must practice, cannot engage in empty talk — only thus do you have both beginning and end. Those who only engage in empty talk are mere moralizing gentlemen, not true great men..."

As Zhao Han listened to the exposition while reading Zhu Xi's commentary, he discovered that this old pedant truly had substance in his belly!

Pang Chunlai did not entirely follow the book; at times he even deliberately pointed out that certain passages could be understood in alternative ways, only that one need not bother with them for now.

Teacher and student, one expounding, one listening.

Zhao Han occasionally asked questions, each hitting upon a key point, and so Pang Chunlai found the teaching quite pleasant as well.

Clang-clang-clang-clang-clang!

No one knew how much time had passed when the bell rang to dismiss school.

Pang Chunlai jolted awake. "Disaster — I've gone over the hour!"

In the afternoon session, recitation and review were only a small part.

Most of the time was meant for explaining literary composition. Depending on the teaching schedule, he could cover poetry, couplets, classical prose, or examination essays.

Who would have thought that, so absorbed in tutoring Zhao Han, Pang Chunlai would lose track of time and let the entire afternoon composition lesson slip away.

"Ahem!"

Pang Chunlai coughed twice and declared in a clear voice, "That will be all for today. Dismissed."

The whole class cheered with excitement, wishing every day could be like this, and only lamenting that Zhao Han hadn't come sooner so they could have been coasting along all this time.

Stroking his beard, Pang Chunlai looked at Zhao Han with growing satisfaction and asked, "How old are you this year?"

"Ten. Eleven by nominal reckoning," Zhao Han said.

"A boy worth teaching!" Pang Chunlai was thoroughly delighted.

The Great Learning was a work of immense importance, full of profound truths a child could not possibly grasp — truths that required a lifetime to fully comprehend.

Yet the intelligence Zhao Han displayed was nothing like a child's at all, and Pang Chunlai felt as though he had discovered a treasure, eager to carefully carve and polish this uncut jade.

Fei Ruhe suddenly rushed over, tugging at Zhao Han. "Quick, tell me about the Calabash Brothers — what divine power did the Fourth Brother have?"

"Insolence!"

Pang Chunlai barked sternly, pointing his cane at Fei Ruhe. "Your own obstinate laziness is bad enough — do not contaminate Zhao Han. If you want to learn about divine powers, go home and read the Investiture of the Gods!"

Fei Ruhe asked, puzzled, "Sir, is there a Fourth Brother in the Investiture of the Gods too? I haven't read that book yet."

"Get out!"

Pang Chunlai flew into a rage and slammed his cane on the desk, sending Fei Ruhe fleeing in terror.

Just then, Fei Chun burst into the classroom, shouting excitedly, "Young Master, I've found the calabash seeds!"

Fei Ruhe's face lit up with delight. "Where did you go to find them? What took you so long?"

Fei Chun said, "I ran around all afternoon, covering every corner for miles — my feet are killing me."

"This young master will reward you handsomely. Your efforts won't go unrewarded," Fei Ruhe said, unable to contain himself. "Come quickly, let's go plant the calabashes!"

Pang Chunlai could not be bothered with those two fools. He called out to stop Xu Ying. "You, stay."

Xu Ying immediately stepped forward, glad for the chance to shake off his hangers-on.

Pang Chunlai tossed out his meal token and said to Zhao Han, "Go to the mess hall, fetch the food, and come back. We'll eat while we have the lesson."

What the hell — eating while getting extra tutoring?

This is just like cramming for the gaokao.

Zhao Han dashed off to the mess hall and used the two tokens to collect the food.

When he returned to the classroom, the other students had all gone. Only three remained: Pang Chunlai, Zhao Han, and Xu Ying.

Pang Chunlai said to Xu Ying, "The afternoon was lost. I'll make it up to you by lecturing on poetry. Take half of my food."

Xu Ying hastily refused. "Sir, your kindness is more than this student can accept — "

"Blockhead!"

Before Xu Ying could finish, Pang Chunlai struck him with the disciplinary ruler. "Having backbone does not mean being stiff-necked and pedantic. If your teacher offers you food and you refuse, you might as well go starve to death!"

Zhao Han smiled. "Fellow student Xu, when an elder bestows a gift, one does not refuse."

Pang Chunlai brightened at once and lectured Xu Ying. "Remember that well — that is precisely the principle. You should learn adaptability from Zhao Han."

Xu Ying hurriedly cupped his hands. "This student is instructed." He then bowed to Zhao Han. "Many thanks for your guidance."

The three sat down, bowls in hand, and ate.

Pang Chunlai held his bowl in one hand and pointed at the book with his chopsticks in the other. "Today we discuss the quatrain. A regulated verse has eight lines; a quatrain is half that. 'Jue' means 'to cut.' It may cut the head and tail of a regulated verse, it may cut the first half, it may cut... If classified by tonal pattern, there are regulated quatrains, ancient-style quatrains, and deflected-tone quatrains..." Suddenly, Pang Chunlai turned to Zhao Han. "Have you studied the Pingshui Rhymes?"

"I've skimmed through them," Zhao Han replied.

Pang Chunlai frowned. "Why is it that with everything you've only 'skimmed through'? From now on, no more muddling through — you must study properly!"

Zhao Han grumbled inwardly. Oh, please — it was just a university elective. A general overview was all I needed. Was I supposed to memorize every rhyme dictionary by heart?

With obstinate, idle students, Pang Chunlai mostly left them alone.

But with top students, Pang Chunlai was terrifyingly strict — and Zhao Han was now firmly in his sights.

In the days that followed, Zhao Han felt as though he had been thrown back into his final year of high school...

(End of chapter)