Chapter Forty-Seven: Enrollment

The sixteenth day of the first month marked the official registration day at the academy. Su Lu accompanied Su Dan once more to the town, with both families sending four armed men along for protection. The combined tuition fees for the two amounted to seven or eight strings of cash—a truly enormous sum! How could their families possibly feel at ease letting two boys carry so much money out into the world?

Last time Su Lu visited the academy, he was wholly absorbed by the examination and had no opportunity to take in his surroundings. This time, he finally had the leisure to observe everything carefully—

The academy sprawled across a vast tract of land, its buildings and walls all uniformly white with black tiles, constructed in the traditional symmetrical style along the central axis, with multiple courtyards extending in depth. The first courtyard lay between the main gate and the second gate—a broad plaza with a straight walkway down the center. To the left stood a shrine dedicated to Confucius, while to the right was the Minglun Hall, used for gatherings and lectures.

Su Youcai explained to Su Lu that the layout followed the tradition of “temple to the left, school to the right.” Though the Taiping Academy was not a government institution, it was built strictly according to Confucian principles.

Passing through the second gate, they entered the second courtyard—the very place where the written examination had taken place. This space was divided by a central walkway, with two rows of spacious, bright rooms on either side. These would be the classrooms where they would attend lessons.

New students registered here. The doors to the three lecture halls—Mingzhi Hall, Duxing Hall, and Shengshen Hall—were open, each with a list of new students posted at the entrance.

Su Lu and Su Dan were both assigned to Shengshen Hall. Inside, academy instructors handled their registration. After bowing, Su Lu presented their sole military register. Being a month older than Su Dan, Su Lu was naturally regarded as the “elder brother” of their household.

The instructor was accustomed to such things; he’d even encountered five students sharing a single household registration before. After verifying their names, family backgrounds, and birth dates, he had them sign the roster and handed each a slip, instructing them to pay their fees at the clerk’s office inside the central hall.

They were also each given a copy of the school rules and ordered to memorize them by heart. Tomorrow, at the official start of classes, there would be an inspection.

Within the central hall lay the third courtyard, the heart of the academy. Here stood the Daonan Hall, where the faculty conducted their affairs, and the most important treasure—the library.

Flanking Daonan Hall were the clerk’s office and the discipline office. The former handled all manner of academy affairs; the latter, known ominously among students, was the place for strict guidance.

The two queued for a while outside the clerk’s office, paid their two strings of cash for tuition and fifteen hundred coins in miscellaneous fees, and received, upon presenting their receipt, two sets each of brand-new academy uniforms—white round-collared robes with black trim, and a black crepe cap lined with lacquered rattan, the classic Confucian scholar’s headgear. They also received two black-edged cloth belts apiece.

The academy was stringent in its requirements: not only must students be neatly dressed, but they were also required to wear the standardized uniform, forbidden from donning their own clothing. Two sets were issued, so they might alternate between clean and dry attire.

Moreover, all assignments had to be written in the academy’s standardized exercise books and calligraphy practice books, issued as needed—two per person to start, with new ones granted upon submission of the old.

Even ink for writing was provided in uniform sticks by the academy, reflecting formality at every turn.

Of course, all this formality was bought with money…

~~

Once they had collected their items, the two entered the fourth courtyard.

Here were the dormitories for teachers and students, plus a row of “half-study rooms.”

At the entrance to the half-study rooms, a couplet hung: “Excellence is achieved through diligence; do not idle away your days with lofty dreams. Learning must be put to use; do not let intelligence be wasted by neglect.”

It was likely a self-study area.

Following the directions on the slip from the clerk’s office, they found the dormitory marked with the character “Ren.” Upon entering, they discovered the entire room was one large communal bed.

By now, many students had arrived—some tidying their beds, others chatting to break the ice.

Su Dan glanced at the bed numbers on the wall and whistled in surprise. “Goodness, ten people in one room.”

“Otherwise it wouldn’t be free for you,” a classmate jumped down from his bunk, cupping his hands with a cheerful grin. “I am Li Qiyu, brimming with spirit. Pleased to meet you.”

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“Second son, Su Lu.”

“Second son, Su Dan.” The brothers introduced themselves. Li Qiyu, though fairly handsome, had sharp, shifty eyes and thin lips curled in a mocking smile, resembling a sly monkey sneaking peaches—nothing at all like his “brimming with spirit” claim.

“An honor, an honor.” Li Qiyu exchanged pleasantries with Su Dan, then turned to Su Lu with a laugh. “So you’re the famous Su, even more renowned than the first place!”

“Yes, sharing a room with Brother Sunshan is truly a blessing!” came an annoying voice. Su Lu looked over—it was indeed the three sons of the Cheng family.

The Cheng brothers still nursed grudges over the matter of the young aunt. They hadn’t forgiven it, and now rumor had it that their teacher’s daughter was at risk of being snatched away by the Su family. And the alleged culprit digging at their walls was none other than Su Lu’s father—a shameless old man.

Such repeated provocations! It was as if the Cheng family’s reputation was being trampled on, spat upon… Did people really think the Chengs had no men left?

Their anger simmered, and they couldn’t help but direct it at Su Lu.

~~

Su Lu had seen the list at Shengshen Hall’s door and knew the three Cheng boys were also assigned there. He couldn’t fathom how the classes were divided—was it to let clans stick together and bully others?

The Cheng family’s generational names followed “Pi Cheng Wan Shi.” The scholar brothers were of the “Pi” generation, these students were their grandsons, hence called Cheng Wantang, Cheng Wanfan, and Cheng Wanzhou. Their names were grand, likely chosen by Cheng the scholar himself.

But which “Wan” was the buck-toothed one?

“Indeed, treasure it well. When you’re old, you can boast of it to your grandchildren!” Su Lu hadn’t spoken, but Su Dan stepped up to counter, showing his sharp tongue extended beyond the family.

“Hahaha!” The other two “Wan” burst into laughter. “Telling grandson Sunshan stories would be more fitting.”

“He won’t last three months in the academy before being expelled! He’ll be this year’s biggest joke.”

“Not just this year—he may set the record for fastest dropout.” The three “Wan” joined forces, instantly overpowering the sharp-tongued Su Dan.

Though the others didn’t join in, their looks at Su Lu were filled with schadenfreude, as if watching a useless performer in a music ensemble.

Only Li Qiyu spoke up for Su Lu, saying, “Don’t be so quick to judge. Haven’t you heard, ‘those who come later may surpass the earlier, yet who knows who they may be?’ Who can say Su won’t succeed?”

“‘Come later and surpass?’” One “Wan” smirked at the others. “Let me tell you, both Su brothers have never learned how to write thesis essays!”

“That explains it. That’s a real problem.” The classmates nodded in understanding—now it was clear why the three “Wan” looked down on Su Lu. He was last place, and had never studied thesis composition. Surely, after entering, he would be eliminated by the harsh exams.

Su Lu understood what they meant. After receiving the academy regulations, he had glanced through them and saw that this year, the “promotion grading system” would be used to assess students.

This method originated from the Song dynasty’s “Three Hall System,” developed in the Yuan era as the “Promotion Hall Method,” and adopted by the current dynasty’s Imperial Academy as the “promotion grading system.” The new headmaster had introduced it to this academy, and this was its first year in use.

According to the regulations, all new students entered as “lower hall” students, studying the Four Books for two months, followed by monthly exams. Those excelling in both reasoning and expression received one point; those strong in reasoning but average in expression received half a point; those average in reasoning received nothing, no matter their expression.

There were ten monthly exams in a school year. Only those accumulating eight points could advance to the “middle hall,” while those failing to do so would be immediately expelled. Even reading the rules, one could sense the fierce competition awaiting them.

Many classmates, upon seeing the new regulations and feeling the mounting pressure, became so aggressive.

Thirteen- and fourteen-year-old boys, after all, could only vent their emotions by attacking others—and Su Lu, “the worst of the worst,” was naturally their favorite stress relief.

“Li Qiyu… Oh, I remember now—” Suddenly, a classmate cried out, “You’re the second-to-last!”

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The dorm erupted in laughter. Another classmate snickered, “No wonder Li always defends Sunshan. He’s afraid if Sunshan leaves, he’ll become Sunshan himself!”

The buck-toothed “Wan” chimed in, “That’s called one fall following another, one mountain linked to the next.”

“Hahaha!” The boys roared, some even rolling on their beds with mirth.

With a bang, Su Dan kicked the bedboard in anger, shouting, “With conduct like yours, dreaming of becoming scholars? Go dream elsewhere!”

“Don’t look down on people. I’ve got confidence in Brother Su—what’s wrong with that?!” Li Qiyu, also riled up, shouted, “Let’s make a bet: if Brother Su is still at the academy by year’s end, what will you do?!”

“Call him grandfather if you like,” the classmates laughed.

“I don’t care for you as my grandsons. Just lose a tael of silver to me each,” Su Lu said, pointing at the seven opposite him. “Next year’s tuition depends on you all.”

“And if you lose?” “Two Wan” asked.

“I’ll crawl out of the academy all the way from here!” Su Lu swore fiercely.

“Good, it’s a deal!” “Three Wan” slapped the bed, “One Wan” and “Two Wan” nodded in agreement.

With the mood set, the other four had no choice but to join in.

“Whoever breaks this vow shall never become a scholar!” Su Lu and the seven in Ren Dorm clapped hands, swearing a harsh oath.

The seven foolish boys didn’t realize they’d been tricked by a seasoned hand—if Su Lu were expelled, he’d have no hope of ever becoming a scholar, so it wouldn’t matter if he broke the oath. But as long as they stayed in the academy, they wouldn’t dare break the vow, so Su Lu stood to lose nothing, while their loss was guaranteed…

Su Lu usually didn’t stoop to the level of boys, but these brats were too odious—he had to teach them a lesson.

After the oath, the tension in the dormitory eased, though two distinct camps had formed.

Li Qiyu, eager to help, prepared to assist the Su brothers with their bedding, only to discover they had arrived empty-handed.

“Hey, where are your bedrolls?”

“We’re not boarding,” Su Dan replied. His family wasn’t well-off either, so he kept Su Lu company. Having asserted their rights to their bunks, it was time to leave.

“Oh, you’re not boarding?” Li Qiyu stared, pointing to himself. “So I’ll be one against seven from now on?”

“Don’t worry—if you need backup, we’ll come back any time,” Su Lu reassured him, patting his shoulder.

“Promise you’ll come back often!” Li Qiyu said, full of melancholy, seeing them off.

“Little Li, don’t lose face!” Su Dan used the Su family’s slogan to encourage him: “Don’t be timid, don’t disgrace yourself!”

“…,” Su Lu fell silent—his cousin was truly an agent of chaos.

Fortunately, the academy’s rules were strict—“Fighting will lead to immediate expulsion”—so Li at least needn’t worry about being beaten…

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