The wolf pack truly did not return, and the village gradually grew peaceful.
Seeing that it had stopped snowing and the accumulated snow was beginning to melt, Song Jinzhao went into the city to the blacksmith's shop to collect the finished sleeve arrows and crossbow.
The burn on Sun Tieshan's leg had completely healed, and he walked with steady steps.
"The mechanism for the folding crossbow was very difficult to make. I failed once in the middle, but fortunately, I finally wrapped the wooden parts on both sides with iron sheets to keep it from breaking."
"These twenty sleeve arrows are a gift for you, miss."
Song Jinzhao glanced at the red mark on his leg. "Did you go to the doctor's?"
Sun Tieshan nodded with a bitter smile. "Doctor He didn't say it outright, but I can guess. Thank you for the reminder, miss."
Song Jinzhao handed him the final payment. "It's nothing. A doctor's heart is benevolent; I just couldn't stand to see it."
After wrapping the sleeve arrows and crossbow in black cloth and placing them in a bamboo basket, Song Jinzhao went to the bookstore to inquire about which private schools were in Xining City.
The bookstore clerk handed her ink and paper while saying, "There are quite a few private schools in Xining City. There's the Zheng Family School on South Street, the Liu Family School on East Street, the Wang Family School on West Street, and there are two smaller schools opened by Tongsheng on the east side."
Song Jinzhao asked, "Which are the best ones?"
The clerk rolled up the paper and passed it to her. "The Zheng Family School, the Liu Family School, and the Wang Family School are all good."
"Which of the three has the most students who pass the exams?"
The clerk lifted his chin and smiled. "That would definitely be the Wang Family School. The teacher is Provincial Graduate Wang, and they've also hired a Scholar Yuan. Many children from well-off families in the city study there, after all. The other two schools only have one teacher each, and both are only Scholars."
Song Jinzhao pressed further, "What is this Provincial Graduate Wang's temperament like? Does he have any particular preferences?"
The clerk began to hesitate, his eyes hinting at something.
Song Jinzhao took out two copper coins and slid them over.
The clerk happily pocketed the money. "Provincial Graduate Wang prefers to accept children from wealthy families and never takes in the poor. The annual tuition is ten taels of silver, and the teacher's gifts for holidays must be the very best."
He lowered his voice and leaned in. "I've heard if the gifts aren't good, he won't teach properly. He also gives extra tutoring to the children of rich families. He's very much one to treat people differently based on their status."
Song Jinzhao's expression grew more reserved, but she calmly asked, "What about the other two?"
The clerk sighed. "Scholar Zheng and Scholar Liu are both decent. Scholars aren't as learned as Provincial Graduates, so very few of their students pass the Provincial Examination."
"Most, after becoming Tongsheng, either transfer to the Wang Family School or give up studying to find work, ending up about the same as me for the rest of their lives."
After leaving the bookstore, she made another round of inquiries at wine shops and tea houses. What she heard largely matched what the clerk had said.
Provincial Graduate Wang was learned, but his character was questionable.
After reaching the rank of Provincial Graduate and going no further, he began to covet fame and fortune. If other academies produced promising students, he would forcibly poach them.
If a student failed the exams and came from a poor background, he would kick them out of the school, showing himself to be quite heartless and ungrateful.
After careful consideration, Song Jinzhao finally settled on the Zheng Family School.
Scholar Zheng, the teacher there, had accepted many children from farming families. Although not many had become Scholars, the probability of passing the Prefectural Examination and becoming Tongsheng was very high. It could be said he taught everything he knew.
In his school, whether one could become a Scholar depended more on whether the student was truly diligent and hardworking to the point of "tying their hair to the beam and pricking their thigh with an awl," as well as having a natural talent for studying.
Having learned that Scholar Zheng liked tea, Song Jinzhao brought Song Qiming the next morning to visit his home, carrying gifts of tea leaves, pork, celery, dried longan, and other items.
The Zheng family made a living from Scholar Zheng's teaching and was not very wealthy.
They had a two-courtyard house on South Street, about the same size as Song Jinzhao's newly built home.
The two main rooms were for the family's own use, while the two rooms on the east and west sides were used for teaching.
In the main hall, Scholar Zheng, with a tuft of goatee, sat in the seat of honor. His tone of voice was like that of a strict, old-fashioned modern teacher who would rap students' knuckles.
"Have you read any books?"
Song Qiming answered respectfully, "I have read 'The Three Character Classic,' 'The Hundred Family Surnames,' and 'The Thousand Character Classic.' I have also read a few pieces from 'Three Hundred Famous Poems.'"
Scholar Zheng's eyes lifted slightly, a faint trace of surprise appearing in his pupils.
He hadn't expected the boy to have read all three foundational texts and even some poetry.
"Can you recite them?"
Song Qiming nodded. "I can recite 'The Three Character Classic' and 'The Thousand Character Classic.'"
Scholar Zheng picked up the teacup from the table, the aroma of tea wafting up. "Recite 'The Thousand Character Classic' for me."
Song Qiming took a breath. "Heaven and Earth, dark and yellow; the universe, vast and wild. Sun and moon wax and wane; stars and constellations spread across the sky..."
The further he went, the more astonished the look in Scholar Zheng's eyes and brows became.
Not a single moment of hesitation or stumbling; he knew it too well.
"Supporting father, serving the sovereign, requires sternness and respect..."
Scholar Zheng spoke up, interrupting his recitation. "Stop."
Song Qiming closed his mouth, glancing sideways with the corner of his eye at his elder sister sitting nearby.
Song Jinzhao gave a slight shake of her head. Very good, it's fine.
Scholar Zheng continued asking, "Can you write characters?"
Song Qiming nodded. "I can write."
"Yue'er, bring the brush and ink."
A woman about two years older than Song Jinzhao walked out from a side room.
Song Qiming dipped the brush in ink, paused for a moment, then wrote the first poem from 'Three Hundred Famous Poems' on the paper.
Scholar Zheng stared at the poem on the paper. The strokes of each character were powerful, vigorous yet graceful, better than what children who had studied for two years could write.
Starting private school at eleven was considered quite late, but this child did have talent.
After pondering for a moment, Scholar Zheng asked one more question, "When did you start studying at home?"
Song Qiming replied, "Last September."
The water in the teacup rippled. Scholar Zheng used the lid to conceal the surprise on his face.
In just half a year, and without a teacher's guidance, he had managed to learn to this level. This required not only talent but also relentless diligence and hard work.
His gaze swept over Song Jinzhao sitting on the chair. To have the idea of having her younger brother study for the imperial examinations so soon after their parents' passing—this young woman had remarkable foresight.
"I have a student who is also from Song Family Village. I wonder if you know him?"
There was only one child from Song Family Village studying in the city. Song Jinzhao confirmed, "I've heard that our village chief's grandson, Song Gaoli, studies in the city. Could he be your student, Master Zheng?"
Scholar Zheng stroked his beard, having already decided to accept Song Qiming.
He smiled faintly. "That's the boy. Bring the tuition on the first day of the third month to enroll. Classes start at Chen hour; do not be late."
Song Qiming hurriedly knelt down, clasped his hands, and bowed in thanks. "Thank you, Master."
On the way back, Song Jinzhao's eyes were filled with delight.
"Good luck. I hadn't expected Song Gaoli to also be studying at Scholar Zheng's school."
Not only could he attend school, but he also had a companion. Song Qiming was in very high spirits at that moment.
"Elder Sister, could I ride the village chief's ox-cart to and from school?"
Song Jinzhao chuckled softly; he had thought of the same thing she had.
Having someone to pick him up and drop him off would save him from making the trip back and forth himself. Taking the ox-cart would be both convenient and save time.
"Yes, but we'll have to ask the village chief's family to let you ride along."
