Even the most emotionally charged poetry can only evoke that knee-slapping, "brilliant!" reaction when one has personally experienced similar sentiments—this is called empathy.
After a long morning of hard labor under the scorching sun, the group of young boys was exhausted and drenched in sweat. Their complaints about the flower-digging task poured into their poetry, making the emotions in their verses even more intense.
Xu Wan looked over Zong Jincheng’s assignment and remarked to Su Xi, "Your method truly works, Teacher. This is the first time Jincheng hasn’t boasted about himself—he used to twist even a simple scenery description into praising his own ethereal grace."
Su Xi smirked. "That’s just his idle mind at work. When he’s pushed to exhaustion, he doesn’t have the energy for nonsense."
Xu Wan laughed. "Makes sense."
That boy was simply too clever—his pride was impossible to suppress.
After lunch, Su Xi glanced at the blazing sun and decided against sending the boys back outside. This was the hottest part of the day.
However, once the peak heat passed, the boys were promptly herded out again, groaning as they resumed digging up the garden. By evening, they had finally cleared every last flower.
Seizing the moment, Su Xi made them sow water spinach seeds by lantern light that very night.
Wei Xinglu whined as he scattered seeds, "While Xin Qiji wrote of 'lighting a lamp to gaze at his sword in drunken delight,' here we are, lighting lamps to plant vegetables in the dead of night. The injustice!"
Shen Yibai burst into laughter. "Xinglu, you’ve gone from spouting clouds of nonsense to composing poetry on the spot! Isn’t this what they call 'words flowing like a poem'?"
"Better jot it down," Zong Jincheng teased while tossing a handful of seeds. "Who knows? We might have to write another reflection poem after this." He expertly kicked dirt over the seeds with his foot.
Zong Wenxiu praised, "Jincheng, you’re getting faster."
The little troublemaker shrugged. "Practice makes perfect. It’s a skill, really. When we’re old and retire from court, we can always go back to the countryside and farm."
His words left the other four boys speechless.
He Zheng tentatively reminded him, "Brother… our ancestral homes are all in the capital. We don’t own land in the countryside."
Zong Jincheng: "…"
Su Xi must have put these ideas in his head, warping his sense of reality.
Shen Yibai patted his shoulder, teasing, "Don’t worry, brother. Though Great Chu forbids land sales, who’s to say you won’t marry a country girl someday? Then you can till her family’s land in your old age."
The little troublemaker tilted his head, considering it seriously. "True. The prettiest girls might just be where I’ve never been."
Thud!
Two clumps of dirt smacked into them from behind.
The two whipped around, only to hear Su Xi scolding, "You brats! Not even a whisker on your chins, and already scheming to snatch our countryside’s beauties? And their land? With your shoddy skills—half the seeds are still exposed! Any girl unlucky enough to marry you would starve!"
Zong Jincheng gritted his teeth. "Planting vegetables is easy! We’ve got the hang of it. And it’s just a few seeds showing!" He kicked more dirt over the exposed seeds.
Shen Yibai hurriedly resumed sowing, his once-pristine shoes now caked in mud.
Tomorrow, I’m dressing down, he thought. This old man has no appreciation for fine things—just a knack for tormenting us and ruining our stuff.
The boys returned to their task in silence. Su Xi, having had her fun, strolled back to the pavilion where Xu Wan sat. "Did you hear that? Your precious son plans to marry some pretty country girl someday."
Xu Wan chuckled. "Too far to hear. But why? Is there a problem?"
Su Xi eyed her skeptically. "Are you serious? The capital’s nobility is obsessed with status. The eldest son of a great general wedding a country girl? The entire aristocracy would laugh him out of court!"
Xu Wan giggled. "Teacher, you’re worrying too soon. Jincheng’s still a child, spouting nonsense left and right. He once said he’d father an entire soccer team—would you believe that?"
Su Xi: "…"
Definitely still a child.
A soccer team’s worth of kids would drive him mad—endless fights, squabbles, and household disputes.
Just as Su Xi assumed she’d dodged the question, Xu Wan added softly, "Besides, even if that day comes, it’s fine. Our family doesn’t care about such things. As long as he’s happy. In a few years, Jincheng will grow, develop his own thoughts and judgments. I trust he’ll steer his own life."
Her tone was gentle, but the conviction in her words was unmistakable. Su Xi snorted. "You’re a rare one, aren’t you?"
Xu Wan smiled. "Everyone has their virtues. You’ve simply happened upon mine."
Su Xi raised her hands in mock surrender, conceding admiration.
That night, the exhausted boys collapsed into bed long before their usual bedtime.
In the grand study, Xu Wan briefed the tutors: "Over the past month, the boys have had less time for the Four Books, Five Classics, and policy essays. During this lull, I’d like the teachers to prepare for post-exam guidance after the autumn provincial exams."
Her words sent a ripple of tension through the four tutors—all except Jiang Yan, who held a jinshi degree. The others were merely juren.
If the boys failed the exams, they could continue teaching until the next cycle. But if all five passed, they’d be juren themselves—equals to their tutors. How could they justify their hefty hundred-tael monthly salaries then?
Years in the Marquis’ elite class had shown them Xu Wan’s methods, the caliber of the scholars she hired, and the boys’ frightening intellect. Their rapid progress was a wake-up call.
Their jobs were on the line.
Xu Wan laid it bare: "During the nine days they’re in the exam halls, we’ll hold a tutor assessment. Master Baili will set the papers, with difficulty matching the metropolitan exams. Those who pass stay. Those who don’t…"
She didn’t need to finish.
The four tutors paled. Xu Wan softened her tone. "After years together, I’m grateful for your dedication. But Jincheng and the others aim for the top three ranks—no weaknesses allowed. Take his poetry, for example. I know it’s not your fault he struggles, but I won’t let him fail. That’s why I brought in Su Xi. You’ve all heard of her. It shows how much we expect of these boys."
