As soon as Lu Chao separated the two boys, Teacher Yang rushed to the scene. Seeing the disheveled hair and messy clothes of the students, his beard practically bristled with anger.
"What disgraceful behavior!"
Su Yunzheng's chubby cheeks trembled slightly as he tightly clutched Lu Chao's sleeve.
Qin Li, the young master of the Qin family, stood defiantly, strutting proudly behind Teacher Yang before turning to glare fiercely at Su Yunzheng.
"Kneel!"
The moment Teacher Yang entered the classroom, he barked the command with a stern face.
With a thud, all the students except Lu Chao dropped to their knees.
Su Yunzheng tugged at Lu Chao's sleeve, and Lu Chao, bewildered, knelt as well, thinking, I didn’t do anything wrong—why am I kneeling?
"Su Yunzheng, Qin Li, why were you fighting? Who threw the first punch?" Teacher Yang rapped his desk sharply.
Qin Li wore an aggrieved expression. "Teacher, I only joked with Su Yunzheng, and he attacked me without hesitation!"
Su Yunzheng shot Qin Li a venomous glare but didn’t shirk responsibility. "Teacher, I was the one who hit him, but only because Qin Li slandered my father first—"
"And the rest of you?" Teacher Yang waved his hand, cutting Su Yunzheng off. "Is what they said true?"
The other students nodded in agreement.
"As classmates, you should support one another, not stand idly by. When disputes arise, you ought to mediate. For failing to do so, you will all copy the school rules five times and submit them to me tomorrow."
"Su Yunzheng and Qin Li, you’ve been here for over a month. Have you forgotten the school’s regulations? Words reflect the heart. Tonight, you will copy the rules twenty times. If this happens again, your fathers will be summoned to take you home! And for this lesson, you will stand at the back of the classroom!"
Lu Chao was surprised the fight had been resolved so lightly. He’d expected parents to be called, followed by endless power struggles and negotiations. Is that it? TV dramas make it seem so much more dramatic.
After school, Lu Chao sighed silently as he received a copy of the school rules. He had shamelessly tried to charm Teacher Yang into exempting him, but the old man sipped his tea and shook his head.
"Young Master Lu, fairness must prevail. I cannot show favoritism. If you struggle with the writing, I can stay late to guide you."
Lu Chao forced a smile. "Haha, no need, Teacher. Thank you." This kind of 'care' is too much to bear.
The Lu Family Academy’s rules were concise—just eighty characters in total: Fathers and sons must be close; rulers and subjects must uphold righteousness; husbands and wives must maintain distinction; elders and juniors must observe order. Study extensively, inquire earnestly, reflect carefully, practice diligently…
Lu Yuanyi came to fetch Lu Chao after school and noticed his gloomy expression. "Lu Chao, why the long face?"
Lu Chao pouted. "Teacher punished us with copying the rules."
Lu Yuanyi’s eyes lit up with excitement. "Why? Did you hit someone?" Was his little brother bold enough to get in trouble on the first day?
"Not me. Two classmates fought, and the whole class got punished."
Lu Yuanyi burst into laughter, delighted that he wouldn’t be the only one scolded by their father at dinner.
Lu Chao saw right through his brother’s glee, but his transparent honesty made it hard to dislike him.
"Hey, if there are characters you can’t write, I can teach you."
"How kind of you."
"Well, I try."
The brothers chatted all the way home.
To Lu Yuanyi’s disappointment, their father and eldest brother hadn’t returned yet, sparing Lu Chao from reprimand. He glanced at Lu Chao and muttered, "Lucky you."
Lu Chao chewed on a rib happily, grinning as his brother huffed and aggressively bit into his own. What a child.
Lady Lu watched her sons devour their meal with inexplicable intensity and chuckled. "Chao’er, how was your first day at school? Did you settle in well?"
Lu Chao swallowed his food before answering. "It was fine, Mother. I met some classmates."
Lady Lu nodded.
"Mother! Lu Chao got punished today!" Lu Yuanyi interjected gleefully.
"What happened?" Lady Lu looked startled.
"Two classmates fought, so the teacher made everyone copy the rules," Lu Chao explained plainly. No shame in being caught in the crossfire.
Lady Lu relaxed—at least her son hadn’t caused trouble—then fixed a stern gaze on Lu Yuanyi.
"Lu Yuanyi."
Hearing his full name, Lu Yuanyi froze. What did I do?
"Come to the study with me later."
The seriousness in her voice made him gulp. "Yes, Mother," he mumbled, falling silent.
Leaving his brother to his fate, Lu Chao hurried to his room to write. His calligraphy was still clumsy—characters either bloated or smudged—and his young wrists ached quickly. This is going to take forever.
In the study, Lady Lu sat rigidly. "Lu Yuanyi, were you happy to see Lu Chao punished?"
Lu Yuanyi, ever sharp, shook his head instantly.
"A gentleman knows what is right. Have you learned nothing from your books?"
"Mother, I was wrong. It won’t happen again," he recited smoothly.
But Lady Lu wasn’t fooled. She knew her son—his quick apologies masked rebellion. Jade must be carved to shine. Her husband had raised both boys strictly, ensuring they began studies at four. The eldest was naturally disciplined, but the younger, though brilliant, chafed at rules.
"Honor and disgrace are shared. Have you forgotten? As an elder brother, you should set an example, not gloat—especially when Lu Chao did nothing wrong."
Lu Yuanyi lowered his eyes, thoughts unreadable. Lady Lu sighed. How do I teach him?
"You claim remorse, but I know you feel none. Therefore, you will join Lu Chao in copying the rules."
And so, Lu Chao’s study became unusually lively.
"Lu Chao, your room is so bare! Even your chair isn’t as comfy as mine—"
Thud. Lu Chao slammed his brush down, glaring. One more word, and I’ll hit you.
Lu Yuanyi finally shut up.
"Hmph! This is all your fault! Now I have to copy the rules too!"
Lu Chao scoffed. "Maybe don’t laugh at others so obviously next time."
Lu Yuanyi suddenly turned to him. "You’re not mad that I laughed at you?"
Lu Chao flexed his wrist. "Why would I be? People feel things. Laugh if you want—it doesn’t hurt me."
"Then why did Mother punish me?" Lu Yuanyi frowned. Despite memorizing texts like The Classic of Filial Piety, he struggled to grasp their meaning.
Lu Yuanyi's question left Lu Chao momentarily speechless. How could he explain the way of a gentleman to a first-grade child? "Well, how should I put it? If you were punished, I wouldn’t be happy because I like you very much, Second Brother, and I wouldn’t want to see you punished. If it were your classmate who got punished, I wouldn’t be happy either, because I’m not close to them."
"I don’t dislike you!" Lu Yuanyi interrupted anxiously.
"I know," Lu Chao said. "Second Brother is happy because he likes me. If Father were here, I’d definitely be scolded, so that would make us partners in crime, right?"
Lu Yuanyi nodded emphatically and added, "Little Brother, this is called 'a friendship forged in adversity'!"
Lu Chao nodded in agreement.
"But others wouldn’t understand. If you were happy seeing me punished, they’d just think you’re narrow-minded and can’t stand others doing well."
Lu Yuanyi frowned. "Then what should I do?"
"Then you just shouldn’t let anyone see how you really feel, that’s all."
Lu Yuanyi’s eyes lit up with realization. He understood now!
