Chapter Thirty-Six: Lush Grass on the Plains

Liu Qin had harbored this idea for quite some time. Ever since she began contemplating her future, she wanted to nurture a circle of trusted aides, reliable hands who could serve her well one day. Chang Sheng was the one she was most pleased with, but he was illiterate. She had originally thought of asking Jiang Li, their young tutor, to take on a few unofficial pupils. She dared not mention it to Master Zhang, who could barely tolerate distant relatives like Jiang Li and herself, let alone servants. Yet before she could put her plan into motion, Master Zhang departed, and Master Zhou arrived.

Master Zhou appeared kindly and flexible, not so rigid in his thinking, which emboldened Liu Qin to make her request. He neither agreed outright nor refused, but after a moment’s thought replied, “I have no objection, but this matter must be approved by the Master of the house.” Now living in the Liu residence rather than an official institution, Master Zhou followed the household custom and addressed the patriarch as “Master Liu.”

“As long as you agree, I’ll speak to Father. He won’t object,” Liu Qin replied, delighted, her gaze full of satisfaction as she looked at Master Zhou.

“Very well. Let’s end here for today. Prepare yourselves after you return, and come to class at the hour of Si tomorrow morning.”

After taking their leave, Liu Qin followed Jiang Li to Ink Fragrance Pavilion. Upon entering the main room, Jiang Li finally voiced the question that had been troubling him, “Sister, how did you come up with this idea…”

Liu Qin laughed, waving her hand dismissively. “It’s nothing. Studying together makes things lively—I love a lively atmosphere.”

“You! You can’t sit still for a moment. If there are more people, you’ll find it even harder to study properly.”

“No, not at all. Besides, my purpose isn’t just this. Doesn’t the book say ‘The sea of learning is boundless, hard work is the boat’? If it’s such a bitter task, why should only Qin’er toil while Cui Yu and the others enjoy themselves? We ought to share both fortune and hardship together.”

Liu Qin shook her head with exaggerated seriousness, making Jiang Li laugh despite himself. Was this truly sharing hardship? But he said nothing more, sensing that his sister had her own motives.

As they spoke, Chang Xing, Chang Sheng, and Xin Lian entered. Chang Xing carried a brazier, having noticed the young master and cousin had returned to the room and, worried it wasn’t warm enough, brought another brazier inside.

The curtain lifted, letting in a blast of cold air, which was quickly dispelled by the warmth radiating from the two braziers. The room grew even cozier, so comfortable that one’s bones felt lazy and reluctant to move.

Chang Sheng, after greeting the young master and lady, crouched before the brazier, rubbing his hands to warm them—a clear sign he’d just returned from outside.

“Where have you been, Chang Sheng?” Liu Qin addressed Jiang Li, but Chang Sheng answered first with a smile, “Fu Bo sent me on an errand to the yamen to deliver a message to the elder master. After completing it, I took a detour to North Street. My old roommate, Zheng Datong, went home two days ago and hadn’t returned this morning. I worried something might’ve happened to his family, so I went to check.”

Liu Qin had met Zheng Datong twice. He was a year older than Chang Sheng, honest and hearty. When Chang Sheng first arrived at the residence, he’d received much help from Zheng, and they were close. Zheng Datong’s family lived on North Street, crowded with elderly and children, surviving off his father’s day labor—life was difficult. Zheng, the eldest, started working young to help his father. He was now contracted to the Liu household, not sold as a servant. Chang Sheng had gone to find him, learning Zheng hadn’t returned for two days. Coincidentally, Fu Bo needed someone to deliver a message, so Chang Sheng took the errand and went to check on Zheng Datong.

Chang Xing interjected, “Is everything all right at his home?”

Chang Sheng shook his head, “Nothing serious, but they’re truly struggling. His grandmother is blind, his mother’s health is poor, and there are two younger brothers and three sisters. Nine mouths in the family, all dependent on his father and him. During New Year, the children couldn’t even get new clothes. When I arrived, his youngest brother had fallen and soaked his cotton coat—no spare clothes, so he was naked, wrapped in a blanket. Two days ago, his mother’s old illness flared up, and she’s been bedridden, coughing. They called for a doctor this morning. Datong was delayed at home, boiling medicine for his mother, which is why he hadn’t returned to the residence.”

Suddenly, Chang Sheng seemed to recall something. “Oh, Miss, Young Master, I saw Bai Rong’er on North Street today.”

“Sister Bai? She hasn’t gone home?” Liu Qin was surprised; she hadn’t expected Bai Rong’er to still be in Wu City.

“Yes, I didn’t expect her to recognize me. She was delighted to see me and asked after you, Miss. I asked why she hadn’t gone home, and she said her grandmother was old and her brother still young. With such a long journey, if anything happened, it would be terrible. She said that since her parents were gone, as long as she and her grandmother and brother were together, wherever they lived would be home. So she decided to stay in Wu City.”

Liu Qin and Jiang Li exchanged glances, both newly impressed by Bai Rong’er. Such a young child, having endured hunger, cold, the hardships of fleeing disaster, and the anguish of losing her parents, yet she was like the grass beneath their feet: after the harsh winter, she sprouted anew, vibrant and full of life.

Grass on the plain, year by year withers and flourishes; wildfire cannot destroy it, and with the spring wind, it grows again.

That verse sprang to Liu Qin’s mind. Perhaps the poorer the child and the more hardship endured, the tougher their vitality. At the same time, Liu Qin felt grateful for her own secure life, yet a tinge of shame, as if her happiness had stolen another’s share. In that moment, her desire to be able to help others grew stronger.

“How does their family make a living?”

Jiang Li’s question interrupted Liu Qin’s train of thought, and it was exactly what she wanted to know. Chang Sheng scratched his head, embarrassed. “I forgot to ask. Shall I go back and find out?”

Jiang Li shook his head. “No need, we’ll check another time.” He glanced at Liu Qin, a hint of a smile on his lips. “But there’s good news—your lady intends to have you both join us in the household school.”

“Study? Household school?”

After Jiang Li spoke, Chang Xing and Chang Sheng were both stunned. Chang Xing was less surprised, having studied a little with the young master, but Chang Sheng was different. In their village, only the village official’s children had studied at a private school for two years. Whenever they returned, they acted like little mandarins before the others. Chang Sheng, then a child, had clamored to go too, but his mother said they barely had enough to eat, let alone pay tuition. She claimed that studying wasn’t for poor folk; better to help their father till the land.

So, in Chang Sheng’s mind, being able to attend school was a sacred thing. He’d never dared dream he might one day sit in a bright classroom like a young master. Yet now, the young master said, the lady wanted them to study together. Was this real? Was he dreaming?

“Ah!”

Chang Xing was still dazed when a sudden cry rang out. Turning, he saw Chang Sheng grimacing, rubbing the back of his left hand furiously. The lady covered her mouth, laughing; the young master, though composed, had laughter in his eyes.

Liu Qin teased Chang Sheng, “Does your hand still hurt? Silly Chang Sheng, if you must pinch yourself, you ought to pinch your thigh—more flesh, less pain.”

Chang Sheng grinned wryly, “Miss is right. Next time, I won’t pinch myself; I’ll pinch Chang Xing’s thigh instead.”

Liu Qin burst out laughing, and even Jiang Li couldn’t hold back. Only Chang Xing grumbled at the side, rolling his eyes in protest.