Chapter 90

Chapter 90

Upon arriving at the Prefectural School, Chen Qingyan and Chen Qingsong were once again struck with awe.

The Laizhou Prefectural School was even grander than the one in Jizhou.

Just inside the gate stood a colossal stone stele, intricately carved with the figures of Confucius and Mencius. Beside them, an inscription by the school's founding principal read: "A withered tree can bloom again in spring, but youth, once passed, returns no more." The characters, bold and vigorous, sent a jolt of inspiration through all who read them.

Beyond the stele, a wide flagstone path stretched ahead, lined with meticulously trimmed ornamental trees. It was summer, and their lush foliage cast a welcome shade.

Classes had not yet begun, and scattered groups of students could be seen engrossed in discussions, fostering a palpable atmosphere of scholarly pursuit.

Thanks to prior arrangements, the carriage drove directly into the school grounds, making its way with practiced ease to the principal's residence.

The principal, Fang Yunxiao, was a man in his early forties, of modest height and slightly stout build. Dressed in a dark blue scholar's gown and wearing a儒帽 (scholar's hat), his short beard lent him an amiable and approachable air.

Upon seeing Liang Boqing, he warmly stepped forward. "It's too much trouble for you to come personally, Old Liang."

Liang Boqing, rarely given to smiles, patted his arm. "I was just passing by and thought I'd drop in. It's been many years—how have you been?"

"Same as ever. Are these three the promising students you mentioned?"

The three bowed in unison. "Greetings, Principal."

"No need for such formality. Please, come inside and sit. Let's chat at leisure."

Tea had already been prepared in the room, and a young student stood ready to serve, pouring for the two elders.

Chen Qingyan and his brothers stood respectfully behind Liang Boqing, listening to the conversation unfold.

"The last time we met was three years ago. I heard from my teacher that you were visiting Master Chen's hometown. I was a bit concerned then, but now I see you've taken on two more excellent disciples."

Liang Boqing waved a dismissive hand. "They're just three stubborn blocks of wood—still need plenty of shaping to become useful."

Principal Fang, an old acquaintance of Chen Jing, naturally recognized Chen Qinghuai. After a thoughtful glance, he remarked, "Qinghuai has grown so much. The last time I saw you, you were but a child. Now you've blossomed into a fine young man. How is your father doing since his transfer to Shanzhou?"

"My father is well."

"That's good to hear. With his busy schedule, I haven't dared to write and disturb him. With such distance between us, who knows when we'll have the chance to meet again."

Fang Yunxiao then turned his gaze to Chen Qingyan and Chen Qingsong. "These two must also be from the Chen family, right? I can tell just by their appearance."

Liang Boqing stroked his beard. "Indeed. The elder is Chen Qingyan, the younger, Chen Qingsong. Both are Chen Jing's nephews."

"You three brothers should stand united, study diligently, and support each other when you enter official service in the future."

The three bowed in affirmation.

"Jingqi, please take them to the dormitories to settle in. Have them attend Class C for a few days to acclimate. After the monthly exam, they'll be assigned to classes based on their performance."

"Understood."

Once the young men had departed, Liang Boqing spoke. "Yesterday, I went to see Old Cai. He... he didn't even recognize me..."

Fang Yunxiao sighed deeply. "It's not just you—he doesn't recognize me or Cai Yun either."

"How could it have become so severe? I remember he wasn't like this when I left. Has he seen a doctor?"

"We've consulted many doctors, but nothing helps. We can only care for him as best we can."

Old Cai was suffering from what would later be known as Alzheimer's disease—an illness for which even the 21st century offered no cure, let alone ancient times.

"A few years ago, he was merely forgetful but still recognized people. Since the beginning of this year, he hasn't recognized anyone. His temperament has become increasingly childlike, and we dare not leave him alone for fear he might wander off."

Liang Boqing wiped the corner of his eye. "To think such a good man has fallen ill like this. Cai Yun has his hands full—I noticed his hair has turned half gray."

Old Cai had four sons. Cai Yun, the eldest, was the only one caring for him locally. The other three sons held official posts elsewhere and could not easily return.

As noon approached, Fang Yunxiao invited Old Liang to lunch.

"I'll pass on the meal. I've already taken up too much of your time—you must be busy. We'll be in Laizhou for over two months. We can meet again when you have a moment."

Fang Yunxiao escorted him to the carriage. "Please, when you have a moment, do check on my teacher... perhaps it might help him recall some old memories."

"I will certainly go. I'm entrusting those three boys to your care."

"Don't worry, I will look after them well."

After seeing Old Liang off, Fang Yunxiao returned to his office to continue handling school affairs.

Meanwhile, Cai Jingqi led the three towards the dormitory area.

He was Old Cai's grandson, sixteen years old, and already a licentiate preparing for the provincial exams the following year.

Since Liang Boqing was a close friend of his grandfather, Chen Qinghuai had often visited his home as a child with his teacher, so the two were old acquaintances.

Cai Jingqi, being outgoing and talkative, initiated a conversation. "Qinghuai, do you remember me? Once, when your teacher brought you to my house, we even argued over a gourd."

Chen Qinghuai couldn't help but chuckle. "How could I forget?"

They were only eight or nine years old at the time—at that mischievous age. Liang Boqing had taken Qinghuai to the Cai residence, where they saw many gourds growing on a trellis in the yard. Qinghuai insisted on picking one to play with.

Old Cai ordered a servant to fetch a gourd, but Cai Jingqi happened to arrive and stopped the servant, refusing to let him pick it. The two children argued back and forth until both ended up crying loudly.

In the end, Old Liang had no choice but to take Chen Qinghuai out to buy two gourds.

Recalling their childhood antics, both laughed, and their bond quickly deepened.

Cai Jingqi first led them to their living quarters. "This is your dorm room. My uncle arranged for you to share a room so you can look out for each other."

"Thank you."

"No need for thanks. Once you've unpacked your things, I'll show you around the rest of the school."

The dorm room was not particularly spacious, furnished with four wooden beds. Besides the three brothers, one bed was empty, likely unoccupied.

Opposite the beds stood a row of wooden cabinets for storing personal items and books. Near the window were a table and several chairs for studying and writing.

Cai Jingqi handed the dormitory key to the three. "Remember to lock the door when you leave. The school is crowded, and things have a way of disappearing. Keep any valuables secure to avoid theft."

Chen Qingyan took the key and nodded in agreement.

"Later, come with me to pick up your student uniforms—the same as what I'm wearing. You must wear them during classes. Those who are improperly dressed will be punished."

Chen Qingsong asked nervously, "What kind of punishment?"

"Nothing too severe—usually tasks like fetching water, sweeping the courtyard, or cleaning the latrines."

Hearing that the punishments were not too harsh, the three felt somewhat relieved.

After settling their luggage and locking the dormitory door, the three followed Cai Jingqi to tour the bathhouse, the latrines, and the classrooms one by one.

He patiently explained all the rules of the prefectural school clearly, helping the three quickly integrate into the environment.

By noon, the four went together to the cafeteria for lunch.

Similar to the Jizhou Prefectural School's cafeteria, the large room was furnished with tables and chairs, and students lined up with bowls and chopsticks to get their meals.

However, the dishes differed between the two places. Since Laizhou was coastal and had a developed fishing industry, fish was cheaper than pork, and it was served almost every meal.

At first, Chen Qingyan and Chen Qingsong were quite happy, but after a month of steamed fish, boiled fish, stewed fish, and fried fish, they were sick of the sight of fish.

During the meal, Cai Jingqi ran into a few good friends and called them over to introduce everyone.

"This is Sun Yan, this is Pang Heming, and this is Zhao Lan—all my good classmates." He then introduced his friends to the others: "These three are exchange students from Jizhou, all disciples of Old Liang: Chen Qingyan, Chen Qinghuai, and Chen Qingsong."

Hearing Old Liang's name, their eyes instantly lit up. Liang Boqing's reputation was far more prominent in Laizhou than in Jizhou, and many students had previously sought to become his disciples.

Unfortunately, no matter how talented or cunning they were—whether kneeling outside his door or begging pathetically to be accepted as disciples—the old gentleman never accepted any of them.

Everyone only knew he had one final disciple, the Prefect's son, but now he had taken on two more disciples.

Pang Heming whispered, "Is Old Liang starting to take disciples now?"

Cai Jingqi shook his head, "I'm not sure, you'll have to ask them."

Chen Qinghuai volunteered, "Our master is getting older and has said he will not take any more disciples."

Hearing this, they were disappointed but grew increasingly curious about the Chen brothers. Everyone sat around a table, eating and chatting.

Among them, Zhao Lan was the oldest at twenty-one, already married with two children. Chen Qingyan was about the same age, so they had more to talk about.

The others were all sixteen or seventeen and unmarried, with Chen Qingsong being the youngest. Though he couldn't contribute much to the conversation, he found it quite interesting to listen.

These four were classmates. The prefectural school was divided into five classes: A, B, C, D, and E.

Class placement was not fixed but based on monthly exam rankings. Class A had only forty fixed spots and used a bottom-ranked elimination system, with a small exam held each month.

If a student from Class B outperformed those in Class A, they would be promoted to Class A. Similarly, those in Class A who performed poorly would be demoted to Class B.

Both Class A and B offered reward subsidies, essentially allowing students to get paid to study. Competition among students was fierce, and the pressure was intense.

Classes C and D were not as intense. These two classes had no enrollment limits—any scholar who paid could study there, though those with excessively poor grades would be asked to leave.

As for Class E, it mostly consisted of descendants of military officials. They focused on horseback riding and archery, with academics as a secondary concern, and didn't interact much with the other four classes.

After lunch, Cai Jingqi took the three to visit Class C.

Class C had nearly sixty students, mostly scholars from various counties in Laizhou, with ages varied widely—the youngest around thirteen or fourteen, the oldest in their thirties or forties.

"Morning reading in the classroom starts at 3:45 a.m. daily. If you're late, you'll be punished. Our teacher is quite strict—latecomers can only listen from outside. I'm not sure what the Class C teacher is like."

"Also, besides daily classes, there are lessons in the Six Arts every ten days: rites, music, archery, carriage driving, calligraphy, and mathematics. You must choose two to study. It's best to make your choice early, or the teacher will randomly assign them. Last time, a student was assigned carriage driving and accidentally fell off a carriage, breaking his leg."

Hearing this, the three were alarmed, "Thank you for telling us, Brother Jingqi!"

"Just call me Jingqi. If there's nothing else, I'll head back now."

"Thanks for your help."

"Don't mention it. We're all classmates now—if you have any questions, feel free to come find me in Class A."

After seeing him off, the three brothers headed back quickly to their dorm to rest and prepare for their first day of class tomorrow.