Chapter 6: The Third Young Master, Li Lian

Li Gang felt that any problem solvable with a bit of money was no problem at all, but both Li Yu and Zhang Sanniang disagreed. Li Yu, in particular, argued, "Father has a kind heart, but he doesn't understand the base nature of people. Such individuals are like snakes attempting to swallow elephants—their greed is never satisfied."

"If we compromise today, they will only become more outrageous in the future. What is one string of coins now could become ten strings later." Giving an inch does not necessarily lead to a wider horizon; it often invites the other party to push even further.

Li Ying frowned and said, "But if we don't give them money, what else can we do? Er Kui is their own flesh and blood. If they refuse to let you intervene, what choice do you have?" She knew her father could not stoop so low as to use his official position to bully a commoner.

"Father, of course, cannot step in directly," Li Yu said after careful thought. "But I do not believe they would dare ignore the words of the Shen clan patriarch." While a county official might find it difficult to pressure villagers, the clan patriarch held immense authority. Though not an official post, the power of a clan head in ancient times was absolute. They dictated the distribution of land resources, determined labor service quotas, and decided tax fairness. If one faced a lawsuit, the patriarch could draft petitions and devise strategies. Disputes between clans over land often ended in death, and officials usually turned a blind eye, following the principle that if the people do not complain, the officials do not intervene—and if they do, both sides are simply beaten and sent away.

If one offended the clan patriarch, life in the village became impossible. If the patriarch learned that his clan could have produced a scholar, but that the opportunity was being sabotaged by two greedy old fools who were also threatening the wife of a patrolling officer, he would certainly teach them a lesson.

"Very well," Li Gang agreed on the spot. "In a few days, I will have Constable Shen pay a visit to Shen Family Village." Since it was this same Constable Shen who had originally introduced him to Zhang Sanniang, he was the perfect person to handle the matter.

True to expectations, once the Shen clan patriarch stepped in, the elderly couple, who thought they could manipulate Zhang Sanniang, fell silent and obediently allowed their young grandson to attend school. They no longer dared to force him to work, fearing that if the boy grew up to be successful, he might hold a grudge against them. Fortunately, the child was still young enough to forget the years of unpleasantness. Seeing his younger brother off to school in new clothes made Li Yu feel much better.

Li Yu was diligent, especially in his calligraphy. He felt his handwriting was a personal shortcoming, and he had heard that beautiful penmanship could delight examiners, potentially earning him extra points and perhaps even a lucky spot on the final list. However, calligraphy was not easily mastered. Li Yu practiced early and late, spending an extra hundred coins a month on lamp oil. After a year, his hands were calloused, yet he still felt his progress was slow.

"Isn't your writing perfectly fine?" Wu Jingcheng felt Li Yu was being too hard on himself. "The teacher hasn't complained, which proves your writing isn't bad." Within a mere year, this classmate, who had started his studies two years later than him, had already caught up to his level—and yet he was still dissatisfied? If he didn't know his friend's character, he would have thought he was deliberately showing off.

Li Yu felt his friend’s eyes were failing him. "It doesn't even compare to half of your skill; how can you call it good?"

Jingcheng was speechless. "I started practicing calligraphy at three." He had spent four years reaching his current level; did Siyuan really expect to catch up in one? Was he some sort of prodigy among prodigies?

Li Yu asked, puzzled, "Isn't the age for starting school four?" Why had he started at three?

"You don't know," Wu Jingcheng’s eyes lit up. "This goes back to a grassroots leader who invaded the Yun Dynasty over six hundred years ago. Back then, the imperial examination was theoretically open to the poor, but in reality, it was reserved for the nobility. A scholar named Liu Yong failed the exam eleven times before realizing the trickery involved. He led a rebellion, slaughtered the nobility, and even wiped out the Seven Great Families. The imperial house collapsed, leading to a century of chaos and famine. When the new dynasty was established, they learned their lesson. The examinations became a true path for commoners to rise, and everyone became invested in them. While they say school starts at four, families with means start at home as soon as the child can speak. Take Chen Zipeng, the son of the teacher at the Li'an Academy; he was reading poetry as a toddler and history books by six. The prefect's son is even more extreme; to ensure he is skilled in both literature and martial arts, his father bought an entire mountain for him to practice archery and horse riding, and hired tutors for Mongolian, Tibetan, Japanese, Siamese, and other languages."

It sounded less like raising a son and more like crafting a perfect, all-around warrior. Li Yu was left speechless.

It seemed the turning point in life really was the amniotic fluid; even if he worked himself to death, he might never catch up to people like that.

"But Siyuan, don't worry," said seven-year-old Wu Jingcheng, sounding like a little adult. "The imperial examination tests insight and talent. They have their advantages, but we have ours. Though our dynasty is only forty-three years old, the founding emperor came from humble beginnings and favored scholars from common backgrounds, believing they better understood how to help the Son of Heaven govern the realm."

Li Yu understood. In short: just keep working hard and leave the rest to fate.

In their second year living with the Li family, Zhang Sanniang gave birth to a son for Li Gang. Having a child in his later years, Li Gang was beaming; once the baby reached his full month, he carried him everywhere, showing him off to everyone. Li Ying was also happy; in ancient times, a woman having a brother was a true blessing.

Zhang Sanniang felt even more relieved. "Now that your third brother is born, my heart is at ease. We haven't taken advantage of your father for nothing." She had always felt embarrassed about having someone else pay for her sons' education. Giving him a son and seeing his joy brought her peace of mind.

Although Li Yu felt uncomfortable with the idea of repaying a debt through childbirth, he knew this was the way of the world. Seeing his stepfather so happy, he felt happy too. "Mother, I am very glad the baby is born," Li Yu said with a smile.

The baby's formal name was Li Lian, but his nickname was "Dundun" because he was so chubby. If his grandparents were still alive, he would have been their dream grandchild. At his hundred-day banquet, someone teased Li Yu, saying his stepfather wouldn't love him anymore now that he had his own son. Li Yu just smiled without refuting them. Instead, he secretly placed a wooden bead under the feet of the gossip, and after seeing him trip and fall flat on his face, he felt satisfied.

Li Gang continued to treat him as he always had. Even if he did love the baby more, so what? That was his own son; was there a problem with that? These people trying to sow discord between father and son or brothers were despicable. If he were a real child, he might have been hurt, but these gossips deserved to have their mouths slapped. If he ever became an official, he would make sure to deal with such meddlesome people accordingly.