Chapter 24: Bearing Good Tidings

Chapter 24: Bearing Good News

After completing primers like the *Three Character Classic*, *Thousand Character Classic*, and *Hundred Family Surnames*, Lin Yushu needed to be sent to the town school without delay. This was a specialized path; if he aimed for the imperial examinations, the teachers at the school were the true experts.

Lin Shu concealed her surprise, calmly answering his questions. Picking up from the line he had learned years ago, she continued, "Benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trustworthiness—these Five Constant Virtues must not be neglected. This line refers to the five virtues: benevolence, righteousness..."

Lin Yushu grew increasingly delighted as he listened. He could tell that his cousin A Shu was well-versed in literature; her explanations surpassed even those of the old scholar, being clear, easy to grasp, and rich with classical allusions! He understood everything immediately, unlike before when he had to repeatedly ponder the meaning.

A single line might be brief, but it could be expanded upon with extensive commentary. Lin Shu had originally planned to cover only the text on the first day and begin writing instruction on the second. However, Lin Yushu proved such a promising student that she decided to combine both lessons into one day. Anything more would have been excessive; it would be biting off more than one could chew.

"Is there anything I explained that you didn't understand?" Seeing Lin Yushu shake his head, Lin Shu asked again, "And which characters in these lines can't you write?"

"Except for '曰' (yue), '义' (yi), '礼' (li), '此' (ci), '五' (wu), and '不' (bu), which I've already learned, I don't know how to write the rest."

Lin Shu led him to the courtyard, found an open space, picked up a slender stick, and wrote each character stroke by stroke on the ground. Then she turned to Lin Yushu and asked, "Could you see my stroke order clearly?"

Lin Yushu replied honestly, "Except for the character '此' (ci), I remember how to write the others."

Lin Shu demonstrated several more times in front of him. By the second round, Lin Yushu had already memorized them well.

He then took the stick himself and practiced writing on the ground.

Lin Shu turned to Lin Xiaopu and asked, "Did you understand what I taught today?"

Lin Xiaopu proudly straightened her back. "I understood everything!"

She had thought studying would be dull, but she hadn’t expected her sister’s lessons to be so engaging, even including a few small stories. She had listened with great interest.

Lin Shu patted her head. "Xiao Pu is amazing. I’ll write down all the lines I taught today. Try to remember as many characters as you can—don’t push yourself too hard."

About fifteen minutes later, Lin Yushu had already memorized the new characters and proactively offered to leave. "Thank you, Sister A Shu."

Though still a young boy, Lin Yushu was already slightly taller than Lin Shu. Lin Xiaopu, imitating Lin Dashan, gave him an encouraging pat on the shoulder. "Review and reinforce what you’ve learned when you get home. You have exceptional talent—don’t waste it. Ask your Third Uncle and Third Aunt to buy you a copy of the *Three Character Classic*. This book is essential; you’ll gain new insights every time you read it. Just memorizing it isn’t enough. Also, prepare your ink, brushes, paper, and inkstone as soon as possible. You’re not getting any younger. If you want to go far, you need to start practicing your handwriting seriously."

Hearing Lin Shu praise his exceptional talent made Lin Yushu feel a little giddy. But her next words surprised him. "Sister A Shu, didn’t you say we shouldn’t think about these things for now?"

Lin Shu could tell he was worried about the cost. She immediately dangled the idea like a large, fragrant flatbread in front of him. "Silly cousin, when you succeed in the future, what will these small expenses matter? I’ve heard from my mother that our Sweetwater Village hasn’t produced a scholar in many years. If you keep studying, our village will finally have another scholar!"

"A scholar?" Lin Yushu was stunned.

He only knew he had a better memory than most—he’d never imagined becoming a scholar.

A scholar! Among nearby villages, only Fragrant Rice Village and Great Fortune Village produced one every three to five years. Their Sweetwater Village hadn’t had one in decades.

"Sister, becoming a scholar is very difficult," he said, thinking Lin Shu might not understand.

Lin Shu glared at him. "I came from the capital—don’t I know more than you? Fine then, I’ll just go talk to your Third Uncle and Third Aunt myself!"

After informing He Guixiang and Lin Xiaopu, Lin Shu accompanied Lin Yushu to his Third Uncle’s house.

Third Uncle’s thatched cottage wasn’t far—just five or six households away. Their yard was smaller than Lin Dashan’s, with hemp drying in the sun. They didn’t raise chickens or ducks, as those required constant care, and Zhang Qiaohua simply didn’t have the time.

When Lin Shu arrived, Zhang Qiaohua was weaving straw sandals in the yard. Skilled in handicrafts, she sold the finished sandals at the market for extra income. Third Uncle (Lin Dashui) had already gone to the fields early that morning. Now that Lin Yushu was studying, Lin Dashui had to work even harder alone.

"What brings you here, A Shu?" Zhang Qiaohua asked warmly, quickly setting aside her work. Then, growing anxious, she asked, "Did Yu Shu do something wrong? Are you not going to teach him anymore?"

"Third Aunt, I bring good news!"

"Good news?" Zhang Qiaohua looked confused.

Lin Shu presented her "flatbread" idea, now sprinkled with sesame seeds, to Zhang Qiaohua once more. "Why didn’t you tell me earlier that my cousin Yu Shu is a prodigy? Teaching him today, I realized he understands instantly and grasps everything immediately—he’s exceptionally bright, even compared to young masters from noble families in the capital! He’s born to study! Third Aunt, I’m telling you, if Yu Shu continues his studies, I can’t promise anything else, but he will definitely become a scholar! In the future, he’ll be a scholar who doesn’t need to kneel before officials, is exempt from corvée labor, and even receives government stipends!"

Zhang Qiaohua’s jaw dropped, her expression shifting to pure joy. "A Shu, are you serious? Is my son really that talented?"

"Third Aunt, why would I lie? It’s absolutely true! When I was at the marquis’ estate, I knew a boy around Yu Shu’s age. I know what children his age are like. His talent is no less than those from royal and ducal families. So, Third Aunt, we must support Yu Shu’s studies, even if it means selling everything we have!"

Zhang Qiaohua nodded vigorously. "We’ll support him! With your words, even if I have to go without food or drink, I’ll support my son’s studies!"

She knew her son was smart, but she hadn’t realized he was this exceptional. When Yu Shu studied with Lin Duoliang, he always memorized more and wrote better than his cousin. Lin Duoliang’s handwriting was messy, and he could barely write a few characters. Still, she had thought her son was just clever. She never imagined her niece would declare so confidently that he was sure to become a scholar!

Zhang Qiaohua didn’t know the concept of “hiding one’s brilliance.” From a young age, Lin Yushu understood that his eldest aunt looked down on his mother, so he didn’t dare show off his intelligence too much, only appearing slightly smarter than Lin Duoliang. That way, his mother could still hold her head high.

When Lin Shu suggested preparing ink, brushes, paper, and inkstones as soon as possible, Zhang Qiaohua didn’t hesitate. "If my niece A Shu says we should buy them, then we will! But A Shu, every time I pass by a bookstore, I feel nervous and don’t dare go in. It feels like a place only for scholars. If I send Yu Shu alone, he’s not good with words and might get cheated. Could you help me prepare everything? I’ll give you the money now, and you can pay me back or I’ll owe you the difference later?"

Lin Shu smiled. "It’s no trouble at all. Since I’m teaching Yu Shu, I need to prepare some supplies for myself too. But I have other matters to attend to these next two days. Let’s wait until the next market day. You’ll likely go to town then, so bring Yu Shu along, and I’ll accompany him to the bookstore."

Jingxi Town held markets on the 5th, 15th, and 25th of each month. On these days, people from nearby villages gathered in town to sell goods or buy daily necessities. The market on the 25th was the largest and liveliest of all!

Author's Note:

Two previews are attached. Interested readers can bookmark them in advance to help me start the story sooner~