Zhang’s old man didn’t want to burden Zhang Fang with the troubles of the family; instead, he asked, “Have you finished the manuscript you mentioned?”
Zhang Fang read the manuscript aloud.
Zhang’s old man listened intently, his expression utterly focused. At that moment, he forgot his hardships and that he was a poor, old man. He immersed himself in the protagonist’s quest for knowledge and enlightenment in the story.
Just when he was lost in this fictional world, Zhang Fang’s voice suddenly stopped.
Zhang’s old man wore a confused expression, looking at Zhang Fang with uncertainty.
“Father, what do you think of the story?” Knowing full well that Zhang’s old man was captivated, Zhang Fang still felt the need to ask.
Suddenly pulled back from the virtual world into the bitter reality, the gleam in Zhang’s old man’s eyes dimmed. He looked at Zhang Fang with a troubled face and slowly replied, “This story is really well written. What about the rest? Why don’t you continue?”
“I haven’t written the rest yet. Father, take the manuscript to the bookstore and show it to the shopkeeper. If he’s interested in publishing it, let him come to the prison to discuss it with me.” Zhang Fang knew something was wrong with the Zhang family, but since Zhang’s old man didn’t want to tell him, he didn’t press further. The most pressing matter was to make money! As long as there was money, a large portion of life’s troubles could be resolved!
“Can the shopkeeper really come to the prison to see you?” Although Zhang’s old man thought Zhang Fang’s story was excellent, he didn’t believe anyone would go out of their way to come to such an ugly and dirty prison to see Zhang Fang.
“If he likes the story, he will definitely come to talk to me! Father, hurry!” Zhang Fang turned to pick up the book ‘Spring Palace’ and handed it along with the manuscript to Zhang’s old man, then told him the address of the bookstore.
Zhang’s old man held the items with mixed feelings and made his way to the bookstore.
As soon as he entered, he was met with hostility from the shop staff.
“Only literary guests can enter our shop! What are you, an old farmer, doing here!”
Zhang’s old man felt embarrassed and awkwardly handed the items over, saying, “This is the book my son borrowed from your shop before. And this manuscript is written by my son; he asked me to give it to your shopkeeper.”
The staff immediately recognized the ‘Spring Palace’ and took it without hesitation. They turned around and didn’t pay any further attention to Zhang’s old man.
Zhang’s old man was stunned; he hadn’t expected them to simply walk away. He hurriedly pursued them.
“Why are you, an old farmer, back again? Get out!” The staff frowned and reprimanded Zhang’s old man again, trying to throw him out.
Zhang’s old man humbly pointed to the ‘Spring Palace’ and said, “My son paid a hundred wen as a deposit to borrow the book!”
The staff scoffed and derided, “According to the agreement, he was supposed to return it last month! But he didn’t! Since he broke the agreement, of course, the hundred wen deposit won’t be refunded!”
Zhang’s old man stared in disbelief, his heart sinking. Just like that, a hundred wen were gone!
Kicked out of the bookstore, Zhang’s old man felt utterly humiliated, crouching on the ground with his face in his hands.
In the past, having a scholar in the family was Zhang’s old man’s greatest pride. Standing in front of the townsfolk, he held his head high. Even if he had to eat nothing but scraps or go hungry, Zhang’s old man endured it with pleasure. But at this moment, his dignity was shattered.
As the staff mentioned, the patrons here were all literary scholars. They looked at Zhang’s old man with disdain upon seeing him.
The scornful gazes of these people were piercing, deeply stabbing into Zhang’s old man’s heart. He suddenly realized that perhaps Zhang Silang, like these scholars, also looked down on the Zhang family and on him as a mere old farmer. That’s why Zhang Silang had prevented him from visiting the academy all these years…
With tears in his eyes, Zhang’s old man struggled to stand, heavily making his way out of there.
The staff inspected the ‘Spring Palace’, ensuring it wasn’t torn or missing pages, and then returned it to the shelf. Back at the counter, seeing the papers filled with text, the staff didn’t bother to read and crumpled them up, throwing them away.
Lost in despair, Zhang’s old man returned to the village and fell ill.
His wife was terrified, scolding their son and daughter-in-law for being unfilial while tearfully taking care of Zhang’s old man.
Zhang Fang waited all day for his father to return, worried about the Zhang family, but as he was trapped in prison, he could only ask Zhao the jailer to check the bookstore for any news on the manuscript. As long as he could get published, he would have money to pay his debts and return home!
Zhao the jailer, wearing the official uniform, was different from those laborers guarding the city gates. He was a genuine jailer! The staff wouldn’t dare look down on him. They bent over, smiling as they approached, “What can I do for you, sir?”
“Yesterday, a person came here to submit a manuscript. Did it get approved?” Zhao the jailer asked bluntly about the matter.
The staff was taken aback; the only person who came yesterday was an old farmer, but he had discarded him! Who would have guessed that this person knew the jailer!
To avoid trouble, the staff only shook their head and answered, “No one came to submit anything yesterday.”
Zhao the jailer was bewildered. That didn’t make sense! Zhang’s old man had taken Zhang Fang’s manuscript; where else could he go to submit it? This bookstore was the biggest in the county; he had nowhere else to go!
“Was there an old man here yesterday, roughly this tall, wearing patched-up old clothes and straw sandals?” Zhao the jailer continued to press the staff.
The staff’s eyes flickered; they thought this could involve something serious. Perhaps providing this information could earn them a reward? So they said, “Oh! I remember! An old man did come by, but I chased him away! He left some papers, which I threw away.”
Zhao the jailer’s face turned dark, and he questioned sternly, “Why did you throw the manuscript away! Do you have any idea how wonderful that manuscript was?”
This staff member’s blatant disregard for Zhang Fang’s work was indeed despicable! Zhao the jailer loved Zhang Fang’s stories and couldn’t bear to think about how heartbroken Zhang Fang would be if he learned about the manuscript’s fate—he might stop writing altogether!
The staff hadn’t expected this person was helping the old farmer and regretted having shared what happened yesterday. But it was too late to change their words; they could only shift the blame to the shopkeeper and let them take the fall.
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