Chapter 105: The Origin of the Name Su Lu

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In the study room of the mountain chief’s hall.

“The strength of an emperor’s power in a nation can be measured by its ability to collect taxes. The stronger the tax collection, the more wealth it controls, and thus the stronger the imperial power! The opposite is also true,” Su Lu said softly, then asked, “How much tax did the Song Dynasty collect? How much does our current dynasty collect? How can we even compare?”

“That’s not the same,” Zhu Liu replied. He was preparing for the final imperial examination, the policy essay, so he had to master state affairs thoroughly and could not be easily refuted by Su Lu.

“Our current dynasty’s tax system was established by the founding emperor and differs from the previous dynasty’s. It uses a system of local collection and retention, meaning local taxes are partly used to supply border garrisons nearby, and partly retained for local government use. Local officials only need to report the accounts clearly to the Ministry of Revenue, without having to transport funds to the central granary first and then redistribute them, as in the past. This greatly saves transportation costs and benefits both officials and the people. It is truly the benevolent governance of the founding emperor.”

“Then why has official salary only been paid at half for so many years?” Su Lu posed a pointed question that left Zhu Liu momentarily speechless. He could only mutter things like “That’s to promote paper money,” or “The difficulties are temporary,” words he himself hardly believed.

In the end, Zhu Liu sighed bitterly: “Well, this founding system does have problems. The country is short of funds everywhere, and officials’ salaries cannot be fully paid. The emperor leads by example, practicing thrift, halting all unnecessary purchases, and even limiting the imperial meals to four dishes and one soup daily. When Empress Zhang wanted to add a gold-embroidered cloak, he persuaded her not to, saying: ‘Every bit saved at court reduces the burden on the people.’”

He sighed deeply, “But the problem is, the burdens on the people have not lessened at all; in fact, they have grown heavier.”

“If the emperor is poor and the people are poor, then who exactly has become rich?” Su Lu asked softly.

“Well…” Zhu Liu’s expression changed, “Enough, no more on that.”

He quickly steered the conversation back to Su Lu’s essay: “Believe it or not, this article will help you stand out!”

“I find it hard to believe,” Su Lu shook his head.

“Sigh, some things are too early to talk about, not just with Zi He, but with you as well,” Zhu Liu pondered for a long moment. “In any case, you must hold firmly to this viewpoint and not go any further. Since you have studied the Doctrine of the Mean, you know the principle of moderation—too much or too little is harmful. I shouldn’t have to teach you again.”

“Yes, disciple will remember the mountain chief’s guidance,” Su Lu said, finally understanding where the line was drawn.

The red line was not against the emperor, but…

~~~

After leaving the mountain chief’s room, Su Lu sped away like the wind. He knew his family would be waiting for him to eat, and though it was already late, he could not delay...

He didn’t notice that classmate Zhu was standing in the corridor, still waiting to speak with him.

“Don’t get too proud…” Zhu Zi He had barely started when Su Lu’s figure disappeared, making him snort angrily. He turned and went back into the study, feeling wronged as he asked his uncle:

“Am I no longer worthy to be in the same class as him?”

“Huh? Haha!” Zhu Liu was stunned for a moment before bursting into laughter. “Finally convinced?”

“It’s just what you think.” The young man’s eyes welled with tears; he had never been humiliated like this before. And the one humiliating him was his own uncle...

“You’re overthinking it. I’m only doing this for your own good,” Zhu Liu said, feeling the purpose of bringing his nephew to the mountain had been fulfilled. He took out a handkerchief and handed it to him, speaking gently: “People are not trees or grass; natural affection varies. No matter how proud a student is, can he be more important than a nephew raised by hand?”

“But you won’t let me listen,” Zhu Zi He said, more aggrieved, sniffling.

“Because you’re still too young. Some things, if encountered too early, do more harm than good,” Zhu Liu said earnestly.

“He’s the same age as me,” Zhu Zi He replied.

“One cannot measure the gap between people by age. Su Lu is quick-witted and far beyond his peers. He was born with the ability to see the bigger picture and grasp the essentials, even surpassing the prodigy Yang,” Zhu Liu said gravely.

“Uncle thinks so highly of him?” Zhu Zi He raised his voice in surprise. To him, Yang Shen was a figure so lofty he never even felt jealous.

“Of course, though his literary talent still cannot compare to Yang’s. Each has his strengths,” Zhu Liu tempered his praise to avoid future embarrassment.

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As he had said earlier, talent alone was not enough to succeed in the imperial exams; fortune also had to favor the candidate. So Yang Shen’s success was assured, with hopes of even challenging the top scholar.

As for Su Lu, whether he could pass the first exam was still uncertain...

Their natural gifts were vastly different. Zhu Liu dared not guarantee Su Lu could ever rival Yang Shen.

But to Zhu Zi He, Su Lu’s ability to hold his own against Yang Shen was already remarkable. He couldn’t help but complain to his uncle: “Why didn’t you tell me earlier? I wouldn’t have been so hostile toward him all the time.”

“My estimation of him has only grown slowly, bit by bit,” Zhu Liu glanced at his now humbled nephew. “Besides, even if I told you, would you have accepted it?”

“I definitely want to compete with him,” Zhu Zi He sighed. “At first he wasn’t a match, but he’s progressed so quickly that soon I won’t be able to catch up.”

“To ride alongside a steed of a thousand miles is your fortune,” Zhu Liu finally spoke frankly. “I brought you to Taiping Town to temper your mindset—let you see the common folk and understand reality. But I also worried you’d have no rivals and become complacent. So I arranged a special opportunity for you.”

“Yes. I admit I went through such a phase,” Zhu Zi He said shamefacedly. “It was… Brother Su’s appearance that made me tense again, afraid to slack off even a little.”

“‘A good man in the village is a good man in the village; a good man in the nation is a good man in the nation.’ You have already met a future national scholar in your hometown. That’s why I say it’s your luck,” Zhu Liu said earnestly to his nephew:

“To have such a senior brother as an example and someone you can consult at any time is your blessing. Cherish it, Zi He.”

“But I have already offended him...” Zhu Zi He said with difficulty.

“Hahaha, if he cared about petty grudges, why would I praise him so highly?” Zhu Liu reassured him. “You’re the same to him as you are to me. He won’t hold it against you.”

“Am I still just a child in his eyes?” Zhu Zi He asked, embarrassed.

“What do you think?” Zhu Liu laughed heartily, composing a quick verse:

“Countless fated ties ordained by Heaven,
From hidden reeds rises the roc.
Together learning the art to soar,
Riding the long wind toward the Jade Capital!”

~~~

At dusk, "Roc" sped home, just in time for dinner.

Tonight, Aunt had prepared the usual vegetables and tofu, plus a dish of steamed taro with cured meat from yesterday’s leftovers.

Chunks of taro were laid at the bottom of a pottery bowl, slices of cured meat covered on top, sprinkled lightly with Sichuan pepper and salt for flavor. The bowl was placed in the steamer above the rice pot, letting the steam from the cooking rice slowly infuse the taro with the cured meat’s rich fat. The taro’s natural sweetness balanced the savory saltiness, becoming soft and fragrant.

With the two-grain rice, the aroma was intoxicating.

The only drawback was that the two-grain rice was made with sorghum and millet, rather than white rice and millet, so the texture was a bit coarser.

“Honey, switch the sorghum to rice. We can afford it now,” Uncle, who ate out daily, had become ever more picky.

“Nonsense,” the old master said, eyes rolling in displeasure.

“Father’s right,” Aunt nodded vigorously. “There’s still over half a jar of sorghum left; it can’t be wasted.”

“Feed it to the chickens then,” Uncle said. “They’ll lay more eggs, helping the young and the old.”

“Wasteful!” The old master rolled his eyes again.

“That won’t do,” Aunt declared. “Grain meant for people can’t be fed to chickens. Waste it and the Kitchen God will report you.”

“Uncle, this food is already very good,” Su Lu rarely spoke up for Aunt.

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“It’s exactly what I dreamed of.”

“Eating this won’t tire us out so soon,” Grandma nodded approvingly.

“I’d be happy to eat this every day,” even little Jin Bao chimed in.

“Good, I take back what I said,” Uncle quickly raised his hands in surrender. “I was just thinking to improve things for you all, and you don’t appreciate it.”

“Typical!” The old master gave a triple critique.

“There are many other places where we spend money. Let’s save more first,” Aunt said, then turned to Su Lu: “Qiu, after dinner, Auntie will give you some money. Since it gets dark early, you’d better live at the academy from now on.”

“That’s fine, thank you, Auntie,” Su Lu nodded happily. Now that Second Brother was busy and rarely home, and with less to carry, he didn’t need to rely on memory techniques as much. Staying at school was more convenient.

“It just means you won’t get to eat Auntie’s cooking anymore,” he said regretfully.

“Ho ho ho! Your eldest brother said the same at first,” Auntie said proudly. “Don’t worry, when the weather cools and the family is better off, Auntie will bring you plenty of delicious food. You won’t miss home even after eight days.”

“Why eight days and not nine?” Su Lu teased.

“Because on the ninth day, you’ll be back!” Auntie answered with a proud smile.

“You’re too thoughtful, Auntie!” Su Lu praised warmly.

With just a few words, he coaxed Auntie into a whirl of excitement, and she began preparing all sorts of pickled dishes for him overnight...

~~~

Before the evening music class, Su Lu told his father that the county magistrate Lu intended to visit the academy.

His father clenched his teeth at the news, as if wanting to ambush that old dog on the road.

Su Lu then shared the gossip the mountain chief had told him and asked, “Is that county magistrate really so superstitious?”

“Absolutely!” Su Youcai nodded heavily. “Do you know why your father never passes the county exam?”

Su Lu thought, I not only know, but I know three reasons. Still, he nodded and asked cooperatively, “Why?”

“Because he thinks my name is unlucky!” Su Youcai gave a fourth reason, as expected.

“What’s unlucky about it?” Su Lu was momentarily puzzled.

“Think about it—‘Su Youcai’ sounds like ‘to lose despite talent’... No matter how talented, you still lose. How could the frustrated magistrate Lu not avoid my name?” Su Youcai smiled wryly.

“I see,” Su Lu thought, and then worried, “What about my name?”

“Don’t worry, your name was specially designed by me to bring good luck,” Su Youcai said confidently:

“Su Lu, Su Lu, quickly admitted, quickly rewarded! The county magistrate will love you at first sight!”