The next day, when Lu Chao handed a thick stack of papers to Teacher Yang, the latter stared at the large, clumsy characters, opening and closing his mouth several times as if wanting to say something but hesitating.
"They say handwriting reflects one's character. Yours... From now on, copy three pages of calligraphy models daily and submit them to me."
"Understood." Lu Chao replied awkwardly, though he didn’t mind practicing calligraphy. With no phone or internet, he might as well cultivate a hobby.
Returning to his seat, he noticed Su Yunzheng glancing at him repeatedly from the neighboring desk. Just as Lu Chao was about to ask what was wrong, Su Yunzheng quickly averted his gaze.
After several rounds of this, Lu Chao couldn’t hold back anymore.
"Su Yunzheng, what’s up?"
Su Yunzheng’s eyes lit up at the question.
"Brother Chao, you’re willing to talk to me?"
Lu Chao was baffled. "Why wouldn’t I be?"
"I got you punished with copying the school rules. I’m sorry." Su Yunzheng lowered his head, his fingers gripping each other so tightly they turned pale.
"Hey, no big deal. Think of it as calligraphy practice. Besides, it wasn’t entirely your fault." Lu Chao waved it off casually.
"Lu Chao, you’re so kind! Even better than my own elder brother!"
The smile finally returned to Su Yunzheng’s face after a morning of gloom.
Unlike Lu Chao, the other children in class weren’t as forgiving. They turned their heads away the moment they saw Su Yunzheng, who had only arrived a month earlier than Lu Chao. Left with no one to talk to, Su Yunzheng could only lower his eyes in silent sorrow.
"Did you tell your family about what happened at school?"
During break, while munching on the snacks Su Yunzheng had shared, Lu Chao asked curiously.
"My grandmother is the only elder at home. Telling her would only worry her needlessly."
Su Yunzheng’s parents lived in Lishan County, while his grandmother raised him in Yingchuan City. The county was plagued by sandstorms, and Su Yunzheng’s father, concerned for his mother and young son’s health, had entrusted them to the care of a friend in the city. Fortunately, his grandmother was still spry despite her age, managing the household with ease. Doting on her grandson, who had grown up without his parents, she granted his every wish. Had she known of his troubles at school, her heart would have ached.
"If it’s convenient, maybe your family’s cook could prepare extra snacks to share with our classmates. I’m sure they’d forgive you once they’ve had a taste."
The Su family’s snacks were delicious, and seeing Su Yunzheng so downcast, Lu Chao—feeling obliged after eating his treats—couldn’t resist offering advice. After all, children were quick to forget grudges over sweets.
"Yes! I’ll bring some tomorrow!" Su Yunzheng’s eyes sparkled with renewed hope.
On his second day of school, Lu Chao met another instructor, Lu Yu—his own nephew by blood.
At just twenty years old, Lu Yu had failed the imperial exams three times but wasn’t one to cling to outdated ideals. Returning to his family, he took up teaching while continuing his studies, supporting himself in the process.
His subjects were mathematics and law.
"We’re only seven, and we have to memorize legal codes already?!" Lu Chao was stunned.
"Of course! They’re tested in the imperial exams!" Su Yunzheng nodded.
Lu Chao groaned inwardly. A whole tome of laws—how many lifetimes would it take to memorize them all? And if a new emperor changed the codes, wouldn’t all that effort be wasted?
Before he could recover from the shock, the first law class began.
"Today, let’s discuss the legal system."
Lu Yu brushed his sleeves lightly, his voice gentle and his demeanor kind—the picture of a benevolent teacher. Yet by the end of the lesson, the children’s faces were drained of color.
"It seems everyone paid close attention. Take a short break now."
Lu Yu sipped his tea, blowing softly on the floating leaves, his lips curling in amusement as he watched the trembling students. Then his smile froze when he noticed Lu Chao stretching lazily without a care. Tsk, one bold exception.
Though his nephew taught well, Lu Chao couldn’t help fidgeting—the wooden chair was torture on his backside.
His movement broke the suffocating silence, and soon the classroom buzzed with chatter.
"That was terrifying! I don’t want to be an official anymore!" cried one student.
"I didn’t even dare breathe loudly! The laws sound so cruel!" added another.
Lu Chao glanced at Lu Yu’s retreating figure and sighed. In this era, imperial authority was absolute, and the law existed to bind the common folk.
The lesson could have been renamed "Ten Thousand Ways to Die."
If children dared accuse their parents of wrongdoing, they’d first endure fifty lashes—if they survived, then they could proceed.
After the Empress Dowager dreamed of a koi carp delivering a divine message, the Great Yuan Dynasty decreed that no subject could harm or sell carp. Violators faced sixty lashes.
Idleness was a crime. Villagers who loitered instead of farming were dragged to the magistrate, fined ten coins, or beaten.
If peasants didn’t till the land, what would the nobility eat? Of course they’d be punished.
At least these laws allowed people to face judgment and die knowing why.
But then there was the saying: "Imperial power stops at the county gates."
In villages, clan leaders and local gentry ruled like tyrants. Unfaithful women were drowned in pig cages. To appease the river god, villagers paid "protection fees." Those who refused risked offering their children as sacrifices during floods.
The list went on.
And that wasn’t even counting the "nine familial exterminations" punishment.
Lu Chao thanked his lucky stars he hadn’t been reborn in a village—otherwise, he’d have reunited with his past self in the underworld long ago.
Before studying law, he’d thought transmigrating here wasn’t so bad. Now, he’d rather return to his old life of manual labor—at least his head would stay attached.
After school, Lu Yuanyi spotted his younger brother trudging toward him, looking utterly drained.
"Wow, what’s wrong this time? Ahem—" Lu Yuanyi’s gossipy expression vanished, replaced by exaggerated concern.
"Third Brother, why so glum? Did someone bully you? Tell your Second Brother all about it."
Lu Chao shot him a deadpan look.
"Second Brother, you need to work on your acting. It’s too obvious."
Lu Yuanyi wasn’t offended. "I’ll keep practicing. Still getting used to it."
He’d rehearsed the expression all night with his page, who’d nearly thought him possessed.
At dinner, it was rare to see Father Lu and the eldest brother present. Lady Lu fretted over Lu Yuanzhao’s gaunt cheeks, urging the maids to serve him more dishes.
"Even if you’re sitting for the exams this June, you mustn’t neglect your health. You’re still young—don’t ruin your constitution."
Lu Yuanzhao nodded obediently.
"Yuanzhao, though your uncle praised you, remain humble. Yingchuan City has many candidates this year, including the Eldest Young Master of the Xu Family and the Young Master of the Xia Family. The Lu family’s hopes rest on you."
"I will heed your teachings, Father."
In his youth, Father Lu was reckless, spending his days idly playing with cats and dogs rather than focusing on his studies. When the main branch of the Lu family in Yanjing fell from grace, the entire clan gradually faded from the imperial court. As the saying goes, prosperity and decline are shared—those in Yingchuan City were also affected. After the family split, they suffered many losses. Now, they merely relied on the favor of Father Lu's brother-in-law to secure him a modest position as a fifth-rank assistant prefect in Yingchuan City. Because of this, he was exceptionally strict with his two legitimate sons.
"Yuanyi, how have you been progressing with the assignments I left you these past few days while I was away?"
Lu Yuanyi's little legs trembled, and his shoulders slumped in defeat.
