Chapter 18: Zhang Xiaolu
After the county examination ended and he left the examination hall, Li Yu arranged with Ning Yuan to meet again next time, then went to the carpenter’s shop to pick up a gift for the youngest brother.
He also used the money he earned from writing novels for the study to buy some rouge and hairbands he had never seen in the county town for his mother and Sister Ying.
For his father, Li Gang, he bought two taels of fine tea—not because his father was stingy and bought little, but because money was tight, and tea was a complicated matter.
Finally, he brought a new set of clothes for his second brother, who looked pitiful with three or four patches on his garments.
Wu Jingcheng, seeing how much he was considering, couldn’t help but say with some relief, “Luckily, I’m an only child. I only need to bring things for my parents.”
Li Yu also took along some dirty clothes and smelly socks he had forgotten to wash for the housekeeper, intending to return and show filial respect to his own parents, feeling a pang of guilt just thinking about it.
Li Yu: “...”
Why am I feeling a bit jealous?
What’s there to be jealous about?
As if I’ve never been an only child before.
When Li Yu got home, he was surprised to find a boy of about ten years old there—thin and looking somewhat pitiful.
At this moment, his father Li Gang wasn’t home. When he asked whose family the boy belonged to, no one introduced him.
Li Yu circled the boy a few times, then cautiously glanced at his mother.
“Is this... father’s concubine’s child?”
That shouldn’t be.
His stepfather wasn’t that kind of man, and since all the money was with his mother, where would a concubine come from?
Zhang Sanniang wanted to laugh but was pulled back by Li Ying, who smiled and said, “If he really were our brother, how would you treat him?”
Would he be angry? Or accept him?
“What else could I do?”
Li Yu reached out and pinched the boy’s cheek. The boy was frightened but didn’t shrink back, only trembling slightly.
“As long as he’s father’s son, he’s my true brother.”
But the boy’s tremor convinced Li Yu this was not his father’s illegitimate son. The boy lacked the bearing of someone who had been educated.
His father cared so much about his stepchildren’s schooling; if there were truly an illegitimate son, how could he not be sent to school?
Besides, the boy was even older than Li Lian. If he really were his father’s child, what about his mother and him?
“You’ve got a good heart, kid.”
Li Ying smiled in satisfaction and then took the boy to explain.
“The magistrate said you passed the county exam without problems, but father was worried that if you went to the provincial city, you might not take care of yourself.”
“So he bought him from the pawnshop to take care of you, so you can focus wholeheartedly on the exam, and if anything happens on the way, at least there’s someone to look after you.”
Although she thought it unnecessary—Li Yu’s younger brother was quite capable.
Upon hearing this, Li Yu hurriedly asked, “How much?”
Li Ying held up two fingers, causing Li Yu to nearly lose his balance and almost sit down hard, only saved by the boy’s quick reflexes.
“Two hundred strings of cash?”
From Wu Jingcheng, he knew that hiring a servant usually didn’t cost much, only about four or five hundred wen per month.
But if you wanted to buy someone’s contract outright, it would definitely be more expensive.
Wealthy families spent hundreds of strings just to buy a young servant or page.
“Impossible!” Li Ying laughed at his fright. “Twenty strings. Do you think our father’s crazy to spend two hundred strings?”
Hearing it was only twenty strings, Li Yu was skeptical. The boy wasn’t ugly; perhaps he had some terrible hidden defect.
But he didn’t look like it—he wasn’t missing any limbs.
“He can’t speak.”
Zhang Sanniang came over, gently opened the boy’s mouth, and explained softly.
“The wicked stepmother broke his tongue with pincers and sold him to the pawnshop. Because he’s mute, they couldn’t even get thirty strings for him.
That pawnshop owner beat and scolded him, wouldn’t feed him. You know your father’s heart is soft, so after much haggling, he brought the boy home.”
Li Gang was indeed soft-hearted; every day when he went out, if he had copper coins in his pocket, he would give some to the poor to help them get through a meal.
Li Yu breathed a sigh of relief; no wonder the boy was so cheap.
Looking at the pitiful boy, he asked, “What’s his name? Are his ears okay? Can he hear us?”
Wasn’t it often said that most mute people are also deaf?
“He’s mute, not deaf.” Zhang Sanniang smiled. “The pawnshop owner said his name is Zhang Xiaolu; his father was a hunter when he was alive.”
“From now on, he’s part of our family. They’re all poor souls, so you must treat him well, not harshly.”
Having been poor herself, she didn’t want her son to be arrogant.
“Mother, I don’t actually need anyone to look after me,” Li Yu said cheerfully. “Why not let him follow third brother? He can learn a few characters along the way.”
Why should he have to run around with me?
Li Lian shook his head furiously beside them—he didn’t need care at home.
“Your father said he should follow you,” Zhang Sanniang patted Xiaolu’s head with a smile. “This boy is diligent about keeping his clothes clean. I heard he can even make arrows and hunt small game.”
If someday her son needed to take the imperial exam in the capital and couldn’t find an inn, that skill might come in handy.
Xiaolu’s hearing was indeed fine; he even nodded firmly at Li Yu, his eyes full of sincere hardship.
The magistrate’s wife was a good person, so her son must be a good person as well.
Following them, he could live a stable life, no longer starving or beaten.
“Alright then.”
Though he was supposed to be a servant, whether it was Old Lady Chen or Xiaolu, everyone ate at the same table, like one family.
Li Yu liked this feeling, thinking such a family atmosphere was harmonious and friendly.
Before going to the county town to check the results, Li Yu also visited second brother Shen Dan and, seeing him diligently studying, finally left with peace of mind.
If he made the list this time, he would go directly to the provincial city to wait for the August regional exam, avoiding a rushed and weary journey.
Wu Jingcheng was amazed that Li Yu had a personal page. After all, his family was relatively wealthy, yet his father hadn’t spared the expense for one.
“The magistrate’s son spent two hundred strings just to buy a page.”
“Buddy, you’re pretty lucky.”
Though mute and illiterate, the boy looked like a top-notch page when silent.
Showing his eight big white teeth, Wu Jingcheng tried to curry favor with Li Yu.
“Washing someone’s clothes is washing, how about washing mine too?”
It wasn’t that the innkeeper’s wife was too expensive, but when there’s an opportunity to save money, why not?
“Sure.” Li Yu nodded, then pointed at Xiaolu, “Five copper coins per piece, no credit. Do you really want such a small child to do unpaid labor for you?”
One copper coin cheaper than the innkeeper’s wife—that’s fair, right?
Wu Jingcheng: “... We’re practically relatives in the future.”
Not fair at all!
Li Yu looked up at the sky. “Not yet...”
Xiaolu hadn’t expected his master to be so kind, not willing to let him work for free. So he immediately held up four fingers.
Wu Jingcheng was puzzled: “What’s the kid mean?”
Not what he was thinking, right?
Though Li Yu had only known Xiaolu for a couple of days, he surprisingly understood his meaning.
“Xiaolu says since you’re my schoolmate, he’ll give you a familiar price—four copper coins. The boy’s honest in business.”
Embarrassed by the praise, Xiaolu scratched his head. Earning a little money doing something so casual was a pleasant surprise. Losing one coin for a long-term client was a good deal.
After all, Wu’s son and his son were schoolmates and would likely take the imperial exams together in the future, so there would be many chances to earn from him.
Wu Jingcheng: “...”
No wonder they became master and servant by fate. Their personalities are completely different!