Zhang Fang grabbed a handful of roasted beans and handed them to Liu Mu, “Try the beans my mother made.”
Liu Mu shook his head, unwilling to eat. He even couldn’t help but speak sarcastically, “These beans were specially made for you by your mother. How can I indulge myself? Your family is even ready to sell your sister just to bail you out. Yet you are completely unconcerned and can still joke and boast with the officials.”
Holding the roasted beans, Zhang Fang began to eat them himself when Liu Mu refused.
As he chewed a mouthful of beans, which were indeed savory, Zhang Fang felt nothing but bitterness and astringency.
Seeing Zhang Fang eating the roasted beans nonchalantly, Liu Mu sighed heavily and began to lecture him, “Brother Zhang, it’s evident that your family has had a tough time sending you to school. Yet you are so ungrateful, choosing to waste your time seeking pleasure in brothels instead of studying diligently, and now you’ve ended up in jail with a debt of twenty taels of silver! You’ve truly shown no filial piety!”
Zhang Fang cast a dismissive glance at Liu Mu. These words felt like needles piercing his heart. He was well aware of the truth but couldn’t explain it, for he had just traversed to this world; the madness of the original character was not his doing.
Noticing Zhang Fang’s indifferent gaze, Liu Mu showed a somewhat embarrassed look and awkwardly explained, “Brother Zhang, I only say this for your own good. I hope you can understand and be filial to your parents from now on, and do not cause more trouble.”
“I have already repented and will change my ways from now on,” Zhang Fang replied, understanding that Liu Mu meant no harm; he just disapproved of the actions of the original character.
Five years ago, Zhang Laotou sent his youngest son to a school in the city. However, the next year, the youngest son was not allowed to continue his studies at the academy, preferring instead to run home for money despite the trouble it caused. Zhang Silang would explain to his family that he missed home intensely, which was why he ran back from the city to reunite with them and pick up money. Even when the second daughter-in-law mentioned that Zhang Silang rejected Zhang Laotou’s offer to go to the academy for money because he felt ashamed, Zhang Laotou never doubted his youngest son.
In Zhang Laotou’s heart, his youngest son was the best, most outstanding, and most filial child! The Zhang family had primarily been illiterate farmers, including Zhang Laotou, who was unable to read. When Zhang Silang was just five years old, a scholar on his way to take the imperial exam fainted at the village entrance and was rescued by Zhang Laotou, staying with them for a few days.
In those few short days, after interacting with the scholar, Zhang Silang learned a dozen characters, which convinced Zhang Laotou that his youngest son had the talent for studying! The villagers also praised Zhang Silang’s intelligence, claiming that if he were sent to school, he would surely succeed in the exams.
Thus, when Zhang Silang turned six, Zhang Laotou sent him to a village ten miles away to study under a down-on-his-luck scholar. The old scholar taught Zhang Silang for four years, believing him to be talented enough for the imperial exams. However, he felt he had nothing more to teach Zhang Silang.
So, when Zhang Silang turned ten, he recommended him to the academy in the city for further studies. Zhang Laotou was even more convinced that his youngest son was destined for greatness, even selling his pots and pans to gather money for the bride price to send his daughter away so he could afford to send Zhang Silang to the academy.
In the past two years, Zhang Silang had grown up but failed in a few provincial exams; he either had an upset stomach during the exam period or fell ill due to heavy rain, ultimately becoming a failure. Zhang Laotou comforted his youngest son and his family, believing that it was just a physical issue that prevented Zhang Silang from passing. Once he recovered, his youngest son would surely take the top place! He would become a scholar!
Zhang Laotou had built a thick filter around his youngest son. This was his hope and the Zhang family’s dream, and he could not allow that hope to be shattered or that dream interrupted. So, in facing the twenty taels of debt, even if it meant selling his granddaughter and land to borrow money, Zhang Laotou was determined to bail his youngest son out.
After being released from jail, Zhang Laotou planned to first gather his youngest son’s items from the academy and move them to the prison, before going home to continue collecting money. He could not let his youngest son remain locked up. In a month, the provincial exam would begin! He had to get his youngest son released before that! Perhaps this time, Silang could pass the exams and become a scholar! As hope and yearning grew, the heavy pressure of the debt felt just a little lighter.
Even though Zhang Silang had said not to visit him at the academy, Zhang Laotou occasionally couldn’t resist going outside the school when selling eggs in the city. Even if he couldn’t see his youngest son, he would feel joy just hearing the sound of reading emanating from the academy. As long as he thought of his youngest son diligently studying inside, Zhang Laotou felt invigorated with determination. Holding onto the hope that the family’s hens would lay more eggs, the fields would yield more produce, and the rice would harvest well. All these were sources of funding for his youngest son’s education!
Even if the whole family had to eat less and tighten their belts, they had to make sure his youngest son ate well and stayed healthy enough to study, so he could pass the exams in the future, become an official, and change their family’s life!
This time, when he came to the academy, it was different from the past. This time, Zhang Laotou took a step forward and walked to the front door to knock.
After a while, someone finally opened the door, surveying Zhang Laotou and asking, “Who are you? What brings you here?”
Zhang Laotou felt a bit nervous but still raised his head proudly and said, “The top student of your academy is my son. I’m here to help him move his things.”
The gatekeeper of the academy showed a look of surprise. Wasn’t Mu Qing from a scholarly family? How could he have such a father?
The gatekeeper uncertainly inquired, “Are you looking for someone named Mu Qing?”
Zhang Laotou shook his head, “No, my son is named Zhang Fang! He is the best student in your academy! He always comes first in every exam! The teachers always praise him!”
The gatekeeper looked shocked and hesitated at Zhang Laotou’s naive appearance, feeling conflicted as he said, “The best student in our academy is named Mu Qing, not your son Zhang Fang. Zhang Fang has the worst grades in our academy and always ranks at the bottom. You are Zhang Fang’s father? I advise you to take him home! Don’t let him stay here studying, it’s a waste of time and money. He really isn’t cut out for studying!”
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